Magnolia and Wildfire
by angelicalkiss
Summary: Frank, Nancy, and Amelia are traveling all over to stay under the radar of William Powers, the man who hired Dr. Cox (from Past Transgressions). Realizing they have to work as a team, they go on the offensive against Powers and his organization. But when the lives of their families are at stake, Frank and Nancy have to go home in order to save them. - COMPLETE
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

 **Welcome all who have read the previous story called _Past Transgressions!_ If you haven't read it, I would seriously suggest that you do as this story picks up not long after the other one ended. I am super excited for this one since it is a story that I never thought would even exist when I started writing the first one! It stemmed from an ending that I truly loved writing! Plus I also didn't think that I would get it out this quickly but it's here! I'm still working out the kinks in it, so if there is anything that seems out of place, please feel free to write it in the reviews or just send me a message! If you remember from before, I love hearing what you think of it! The title is a working title btw. I really like it but I may change it later on so keep an eye on it. Enjoy! **

Prologue

The man with salt and pepper hair threw a vase across the room, shattering it on the wall. He was a rather large and intimidating man so the two men standing in front of him seemed terrified of him, not wanting to look up.

"How did you lose them…again?" the man screamed. "All you had to do was get them and bring them back here to me! Just like in Geneva, you two let them get away and they still have _my_ money! It's been four months! Why haven't we been able to capture them!"

"We're sorry, Mr. Powers," said one of the men brave enough to speak. "We didn't recognize them right away."

"Didn't recognize them?" William Powers yelled. "All you had to do was listen to them fight in public! They can't seem to stop, which is actually really quite funny, if you ask me. You know what, Townsend? Just shut up! I don't want any more excuses. I want my property and I want it now! You better hope you bring them in the next time or I won't give you another chance!"

"Yes, sir," mumbled the other man.

"Now, get out of here before I decide to make examples out of you for failing me again!"

The two men scrambled out of his office, thanking god that they have the chance to walk out. Another man came in as they were leaving and smirked at the two. Powers sat down in the chair behind his desk, rubbing his forehead.

"All I asked, Nathan, was for my possessions to be brought to me," replied Powers, behind his hand. "Is it that hard to ask?"

"No, sir, it's not," answered Nathan. He stood before his boss, hands behind his back.

"How is it that Frank Hardy is so hard to find? I mean, Geneva should have been easy for a snatch and go but I'm surrounded by morons who can't seem to get anything right! I should have sent you instead."

"I know, sir," replied Nathan calmly. "We will find them soon enough and you will have what you need to get back at the Network."

"You're right, my friend," Powers smiled, leaning back in his chair and staring at Nathan. "Use every resource you can to find them. And, remember, we can't have one without the other."

"Of course, sir," Nathan bowed. "Do you want me to take care of the two imbeciles who just left?"

Powers thought for a moment and smiled.

"Townsend irritates me."

"Very good, sir." Nathan left the room.

Powers turned to look out the window of his office. The city of Paris spread out before him, the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Cars and people bustled about below, not knowing that the largest crime syndicate in Europe was just feet away. He frowned a little about the events that transpired months before. Powers didn't anticipate the doctor being killed before he was able to deliver and he wondered who pulled the trigger. When he watched the streaming video of his acquisitions doing a number on not only police officers but their own family members and friends as well, Powers thought he finally got rid of all the Hardys except one. But when he received word that none of them died, Powers vowed he would take care of them personally. He could take care of them now but he wanted someone special to do it. The thorn in his side was beginning to annoy him, festering even more by constantly being able to get away.

"Mr. Powers?" replied Nathan at the door, interrupting his thoughts. "There is someone here who would like to speak with you."

"Tell him to go away," Powers said, annoyed. "I'm busy!"

" _She_ is insisting, saying she may be able to help you with your problem."

"Oh?" he said, swiveling around to face the door. "Send her in."

Nathan escorted a woman into the room. She looked around nervously but didn't look directly at Powers.

"So, what do you have for me?"

"Well," the woman cleared her throat. She wrung her hands in front of her, keeping her eyes to the floor. "I have been looking for you for months, Mr. Powers. I heard your name mentioned in Chicago and asked some of my father's contacts to find you."

"Okay, so you found me," Powers said, irritated. "Get on with it. Nathan tells me you can solve my problem. Do you know where Frank Hardy and Nancy Drew are?"

The woman looked up at him finally, hatred in her eyes but not for him.

"I don't know where they are, but I may know how to find them."

"I'm listening. What are your terms?"

"Let me join your organization," she said with more confidence. "I have a lot more to give plus contacts that I can use throughout the States and Europe."

"I've got contacts already," he said, wiping the air with his hand. "What can you _really_ give me?"

"Information about them and their families," she answered. "Things you may not know of."

"Okay, let's see if what you have is worthy of joining us."

"Oh, it will be," she smiled. "When Dr. Cox kept them at his house in Chicago, the police were not able to find out their location. That was until several emails were sent to a Detective Norris of the River Heights Police Department explaining everything including the location of the house. Those emails are the reason why Hardy and Drew were never sent to jail, even though they should have been."

"Okay, but what does this have to do with my problem of finding them?"

"The person who sent the emails is a close friend of Frank Hardy, even though they apparently never met." The woman smiled when she saw Powers become excited. "I have it on good authority that this woman, though still in the States, is constantly in contact with him. You find her online and you may be able to backtrack to him and his location here in Europe."

"That is genius!" cried Powers, clapping his hands together and rising. "Why can't my own men think of things like this? Nathan, get Marty on a plane and here now! My dear, how is it that you acquired this information? I would think that only a cop would have be able to get it and frankly, I don't like cops."

"Well, Mr. Powers," she looked directly at him and smiled. "I was disgraced by the police who called themselves my brothers. They put me through the ringer along with my father and destroyed our family. I got the information before leaving."

"Interesting. A former cop. How lovely. I think you may come in handy, Miss…?"

"Mitchell," she replied. "Anna Mitchell, former lieutenant of the Chicago Police Department."

"Well, Miss Mitchell," Powers smiled at her. "You seem to you know your stuff. Nathan will give you a place within our organization but I must tell you one thing. I do not like people betraying me. Nothing good comes out of it. Just a warning."

"Yes, Mr. Powers," Mitchell nodded her head in acknowledgment. "I have one more request if I may?"

"What is it?"

"I want Nancy Drew. She humiliated me in front of my men and my boss. She's the reason why I had to leave Chicago. I have a score to settle with her."

"We shall see, Miss Mitchell. We shall see."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

 _From Amelia's Notes:_

 _We've been roaming around Europe for the past six months. Every time we settled somewhere, Frank would up and move us out of the blue even if someone didn't find us, which wasn't often. He said he wanted to keep ahead of Powers. Unfortunately, it has put a strain on all of us but much more on Nancy and Frank. The two have been constantly bickering and fighting since we left River Heights and I don't understand it. Plus it gets worse every time we move. At night though, one still remains awake while the other sleeps in order to be there for each other just in case of a nightmare, which still happen. I just don't understand it. But yet when they are out in public, their arguments and fights have become such a spectacle that we can't even remain out for long periods of time for fear that someone will find us more easily. Even the sessions I have with them to get rid of Leo's programming are not going the way I would like them to. Both of them still react to the programmed words and can still be controlled at certain times. Their constant fighting is starting to drive me nuts and I have no idea what I am going to do in order to stop it. I may have to get help on this one from someone neither one of them want to see, but I may have no choice. They've brought me to the brink of insanity! I wish they would get it through their heads that they need to work as a team not against each other. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea._

* * *

"We can't keep doing this, Frank!" Nancy cried, shoving her clothes into her bag. Over the months they'd been in Europe, she learned not to unpack too much because they were constantly on the move. "I don't know how much longer I can go on!"

"Then leave!" Frank said, exasperated. "I don't like it anymore than you do but do you want to be caught?"

"By who?" Nancy yelled, stopping. She put her hands on her hips and stared at him. "This William Powers you keep professing is after us, though we haven't see him or any of his men since Geneva and London, or the US government? When we were in Berlin, it was the latter. We could have ended it there! Why didn't we?"

"Do you honestly think we would have been safe if we turned ourselves in?" Frank yelled back, dropping his shoes into the bag. "We probably would have been arrested!"

"Yeah, but we would've gone home! Don't you want to go home?"

"That's a stupid question, Nancy! Of course I want to go home but what about Powers?"

"When have we actually seen his men since we were in London? I know we were barely able to get out of there but now it seems like he's not interested in us anymore."

"We barely got out of there because you had to start up a fight with me in the middle of Piccadilly Circus! Nowadays, all they have to do is wait for us to blow up, mainly YOU! But knowing Powers, he's biding his time. The moment we let our guard down for real, he'll be there. Trust me."

"I have trusted you! For months! And I'm still waiting for this to end. When will it end?"

"Oh, my god!" screamed Amelia, stomping her foot angrily. "Just stop it, the both of you! You're acting like two toddlers fighting over a toy!"

Frank and Nancy turned toward her, embarrassed that their argument upset the older woman again. They knew she was right but neither one of them wanted to admit it.

"What is it going to take for the two of to just stop?" Amelia said. "Now, for the remainder of the time we have here, _SHUT UP!_ "

The three finished packing silently and rushed out the door of their suite. Within moments they were checked out and in a taxi, heading toward the train station. Amelia sat between the two as they sulked, looking out their respective windows. The city of Prague flew by, Amelia regretting that she didn't get the chance to really see the sights. They were only there for two days before Frank got a bad feeling and wanted to leave.

They headed to France once again, having been there a few months before. Their travels took them through Germany, changing trains or driving through the countryside to make sure no one was following them. The constant moving about was taking a toll on all of them though they knew it was somewhat necessary. Amelia found a nice cottage to rent in the small village two hours from Paris. Once they were settled in, she made Frank and Nancy sit down and opened the floor for suggestions on how they can solve their issues.

"Nancy can start by not complaining every time we have to leave," Frank said, folding his arms across his chest.

"I do not!" cried Nancy. "Okay, then how about you stop telling me what to do or that we leave at the drop of a hat!"

"What am I supposed to do?" Frank said, glaring at her. "We talked about this. We don't know who to trust anymore."

"Oh, but you trust Kyla, is that it?" Nancy spat back. "You're constantly on the computer with her and sing her praises like she's the Queen of Sheba! You've never even met the girl!"

"Am I detecting a hint of jealousy, Nancy?" Frank smirked. "Kyla is a good friend. That's all. She listens to the stories I tell her though they've been stale lately since you have been driving me nuts!"

"Okay, enough!" Amelia yelled. "What is wrong with you two anyway? You seem to be able to calm each other down after a nightmare but when you're awake, you're constantly at each other's throats! It seems like you can't even stand each other. How is that?"

"Don't know. Don't care." Frank shrugged. Nancy stuck her nose in the air and huffed.

"You better start caring! It's tearing you apart and we need to figure out why. Nancy, why don't you and I go to Paris for some shopping and pampering? Maybe some time away from one another will help."

"Yeah, sure, fine, whatever," Nancy scoffed.

"And what am I supposed to do while she gets pampered?" Frank said, annoyed. "Sit here and twiddle my thumbs?"

"Figure it out, Frank," Nancy taunted and left the room.

"Take the time to enjoy the solitude," Amelia suggested calmly. "Isn't that what you want anyway? Peace? Go walk around the town and enjoy it. You two need time away from each other and I need my sanity. We'll be back in a few days."

* * *

 _From Amelia's Notes:_

 _Hope. That's all I have at the moment. Since I'm taking Nancy to Paris, maybe when we get back, it will be a better time for them. I called my 'friend' who said he'd take a day or two to get to where we are. Just pray that Frank behaves himself until then. The friend will just watch to make sure he doesn't get into any trouble while we're gone. The last thing I want is for Frank to find him._

* * *

"We're leaving, Frank," Amelia stated, shuffling Nancy to the door. "Please be careful and stay out of trouble till we get back."

"I will, 'Mom,'" Frank mumbled sarcastically from the couch. He was sprawled across the piece of furniture, flipping channels on the TV. Once the door was closed, Frank breathed a sigh of relief. It was hard for him to be the only guy in the house with two women. Too much estrogen in his opinion especially since he grew up in a house with only one female, his mother. "Good riddance. Peace and quiet, finally."

He couldn't understand why Nancy was always trying to pick a fight with him but yet for some reason, she still trusts him enough to continue sticking around. Granted, Frank was quite tired of the moving about all the time but his paranoia grew since Geneva. He still didn't understand how Powers and his men were able to catch up to them in the first place. Though him and Nancy tried to take every precaution, it was almost as if they were waiting for them but then again it could have had something to do with the original transfer of money that James did. Frank felt sick to his stomach thinking of the man. If it weren't for James, they wouldn't be in the mess that they were in. His obsession with Carson Drew was obnoxious to a point but James' love for Kate, Nancy's mother, is what saved them all in the end. Frank knew that James didn't want any of it to happen but it did. Although James, kind of, sort of saved their lives in Chicago, Frank still couldn't bring himself forgive the man just yet. Even with the passing of the money over to Nancy. All Frank knew was that if he ever saw James again, he wouldn't be around long enough to be forgiven. Both him and Nancy would see to that.

Frank stared at the TV watching a French version of one of his favorite comedies. He knew the movie so well, he didn't need the translation and laughed at every joke that came on screen. It felt good for him to laugh but he also felt that he needed to sit down and talk to Nancy…without Amelia hovering. The doctor was a very confident woman and good at what she did but she guarded the two of them like a mother hen. It was almost suffocating for them both but the woman wanted to help. At first it seemed like a good idea but now he wasn't so sure. He knew their sessions with her were going nowhere and the fights seemed to be getting worse. Frank laughed at the thought that all the white hair that Amelia was getting came from their bickering all the time. Nancy seemed like she didn't want to go to Paris in the first place but she didn't say anything since Amelia insisted. _Maybe she's thinking the same thing I am_ he thought.

He closed his eyes and tried to nap in peace but the nightmares came rushing in. Without Nancy being nearby, Frank couldn't get himself to calm down and he began screaming, waking himself up. To stay awake so the nightmares didn't come back, he poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table.

"What am I going to do over the next few days?" he asked himself. "Can't sleep. Nothing to really watch on TV."

Frank sighed wishing he had a book to read but decided to get out the laptop and see if Kyla was available to talk. The young woman seemed to always be awake whenever he sent a message and he liked the conversations they had. She was a sweet girl but he always knew he just wanted to be friends with her.

-KYLA?

-WELL HEY THERE STRANGER. HOWS EVERYTHING?

-BORING AS OF NOW. DOC TOOK HER TO SHOPPING. I MAY NOT MISS THE ARGUMENTS BUT I MISS THE COMPANY. YOU?

-BUMMER. BEEN HAGGLED BY SOME FEDS LATELY. NOT AT HOME BUT ONLINE. GUESS OUR MAN IN CHICAGO DECIDED TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE CHAT ROOM WE USE. THEY SEEM VERY INTERESTED IN FINDING YOU TWO. PLUS SOME CHATTER ON THE NET FROM ANOTHER GROUP SEARCHING FOR YOU TOO.

-WHAT ARE THEY SAYING?

-NOTHING REALLY. PUTTING OUT FEELERS TO SEE IF ANYONE KNEW WHERE YOU OR YOUR FRIEND WERE.

-GOOD LUCK ON THAT ONE. WEVE BEEN TRYING TO MOVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

-DOESNT THAT TAKE A TOLL THO?

-YEAH IT DOES BUT ITS NECESSARY TO STAY UNDER THE RADAR.

-WAIT A MINUTE.

-OK

-GET OFF THE NET NOW!

Frank immediately logged off the Internet and pulled the plug on the computer without turning it off first. He didn't know what happened but he also didn't like the way Kyla ended the conversation. Not really knowing what to do, Frank went and found one of the guns they got from the bank in Geneva, making sure it was loaded. He checked outside before making sure the house was closed up tight. He sent a message to Amelia but wasn't sure if she received it when she didn't respond back right away.

It was well into the night, when Frank finally fell into a dreamless sleep, so tired he couldn't keep his eyes open. He crashed right on the couch, the gun still in his hand and the TV still on. Frank never heard the window break in the house nor did he hear anything else until it was already too late.


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:**

 **Just to let you know, I mad a slight mistake in the last chapter that I remedied and updated early this morning. If you get a bit confused at the beginning of this chapter, this is why. Thanks to all who have reviewed the story! I appreciate it and love hearing what you have to say! Glad to hear you're enjoying it so far!**

Chapter Two

After a short train ride to Paris, Nancy and Amelia settled in to their hotel. Nancy hadn't been to the city in years and was awestruck by how much had changed. She knew she really did need a break from Frank just as much as he needed one from her but Nancy was still thinking about him as they walked out of the hotel. The two women indulged themselves on French pastries and breads and went shopping on the Avenue des Champs Elysées, taking more bags back to the hotel than Nancy could really keep.

Although they planned to go to the spa the next day, Nancy begged Amelia to go out alone in the morning. She wanted to go to a marketplace nearby for produce but really just wanted to have some time to herself, though she kept that to herself. Amelia reluctantly relented but told her that she would be nearby at a café if Nancy needed her.

The next morning, Nancy excitedly grabbed her bag, ready to go explore the marketplace. The two women departed the hotel together but soon split off so Nancy could take a scenic route to enjoy the June morning air. Heeding both Frank's and Amelia's advice, Nancy wore a baseball cap to conceal most of her prominent strawberry blonde hair along with sunglasses to hide her face. Walking through the streets, she kept her eyes on those around her, making sure none of them were Powers' men, though she may not have been able to pick them out of the crowd right away anyway. Frank was always better at that than she was. Nancy felt safer once she reached the bustling marketplace, assuring herself that everything would be okay.

She really didn't want to go on the trip with Amelia but Nancy couldn't turn down the opportunity to go to Paris and shop. When they were in France months before, they were near Monaco and didn't have the chance to go north to Paris. Thinking about Frank, Nancy searched the marketplace for his favorite fruits and vegetables to maybe make dinner for him one night. Although she was still a bit mad at him for certain things, Nancy couldn't help thinking about when they were alone. Amelia was great to be around and had a kind heart, especially since she gave up her life back home to help them, but sometimes she was overwhelming. Nancy thought that maybe the older woman was the real reason behind some of their fights. Both her and Frank didn't really have time alone with her around except for the evenings while they slept. They never slept in the same bed together and would take turns throughout the night, keeping watch over each other. When Amelia was around them though, they felt more agitated. Well, at least that was how Nancy felt at times.

Thinking of Frank's smile, Nancy smiled to herself knowing that she missed him a lot even though it had only been a day. He was always able to calm her down when she had a nightmare just like she did for him. Nancy just wished he wasn't so pigheaded at times. But then again, she hated it when he was right about something. She thought of her sleep the night before and the tossing and turning she did in bed. It was restless and agonizing for her, not allowing Nancy to have much sleep. She started to feel the fatigue as she continued to walk the marketplace and she began to lose her focus on the people around her, not catching the person who was following behind her.

* * *

Frank was abruptly woken up by a bucket of cold water thrown at him. He shook the water out of his face, feeling a strain on his arms. He looked up to see he was hanging from the ceiling by a rope, his shirt, shoes, and socks gone. Struggling with the bonds while his feet scraped the floor, Frank heard laughter beside him and turned to see who was nearby. His eyes went wide in recognition, looking at the face of William Powers.

"Hello, Frank," he replied. Powers sat on the table, watching Frank, a smile etched on his face. "Long time, no see. I was wondering when you'd wake up but I got a little impatient so I had Nathan here help you. How have you been?"

Frank just stared at him, saying nothing. Looking around, he knew the man well enough that no matter what he did, Frank wasn't going to get away without help.

"A little short on words, are we?" Powers asked. He jumped down from the table and walked over to Frank. "Do you remember what my specialty was when I was a Network operative?"

The man grinned again when Frank's face turned white, knowing what Powers meant. Frank still didn't say anything though he gave Powers a look of sheer hatred. Although the pain he experienced with Dr. Cox brought Frank to the brink, the pain he knew he could feel at the hands of Powers would be much worse. The man pulled out a knife, showing it gleefully to Frank. He made a small mark on his chest, Frank breathing heavily waiting for the pain.

"Now, are you going to answer my question?" Powers asked. He continued raking the knife across Frank's chest, blood running down. "You're not being very nice."

"I'm fine!" Frank finally sputtered out as Powers took the knife away. His face was beginning to sweat from shock and pain. Powers saw he was losing him and slapped Frank's face, jolting him awake. Frank quietly said a curse under his breath.

"Oh, no, no, no." Powers waggled his finger in Frank's face. "We'll have none of that, Frank!"

He grabbed a hold of his hair and looked Frank in the eyes.

"You and your retched brother brought a lot of anguish to me when you destroyed my operation within the Network," Powers seethed. "But I should be really thanking you since I have made more money than I could possibly imagine afterward, so I can forgive that. However, I lost an obscene amount of that same money because of you and your pretty little friend, that of which I cannot forgive. I paid for you two and I expect a return on my investment. So, you belong to me along with Nancy once I find her. Understand? Now, tell me, where is she?"

Frank pursed his lips defiantly. He didn't want to say anything more about where Nancy was. He frankly didn't even know where he was at the moment let alone her current location. Powers brought the knife back, Frank screaming louder than before.

"Go to hell!" Frank yelled. Powers motioned for Nathan, who came over and punched Frank in the stomach. He hung there, sputtering from the pain.

"You know, Frank. There's something I should tell you," Powers replied. "Dr. Cox or Cosgrove, whichever you want to call him, told me something that I know he didn't tell very many people. Something about the two of you. See, I know I can say just one little word and your mind goes completely blank until I say otherwise. Plus I could get any information out of you that way but that wouldn't be any fun, now would it? However, I can't really use you without her. Dr. Cox had this 'genius' idea to create a duo who could work together as one. So, without her, I can't do much of anything great with you. Well, I could but not to the potential it could be with her. Besides I want to see what she can bring to the table. Does that sound 'wild' or what?"

Frank cringed at what Powers said. The man laughed maniacally as he got into Frank's face again.

"You may not want to talk now," Powers said quietly. "But my friend here and I will be able to get anything out of you in good time."

"I can't tell you something I don't know," Frank said. "Plus I don't care."

"Oh, I think you do," smiled Powers, lightly tapping Frank's face. "We have our ways of getting anyone to talk. I just don't want to have my best asset be too injured to do his job effectively."

"You won't get her and you will never have me."

"Oh, but Frank," Powers said, standing up straight. "I already have you. You just don't know it yet. As for Nancy, I have a feeling we'll catch up to her soon enough. And when the time comes, I know exactly where we're going to go first: a little town in New York."

Frank struggled at his bonds as Powers whispered something more into his ear.

"And this time, there won't be any hesitation."

* * *

Anna Mitchell walked out of the building and down the street to the marketplace nearby. She wanted to check it out since she had never been to Paris before and it sounded like something she might like. Anna was shocked by all the food she saw and vendors selling numerous items. She was like a kid in a candy store but her enthusiasm increased when she saw her. Anna couldn't believe the luck she was having at that moment. Mr. Powers was going to be ecstatic to hear that she apprehended the girl before anyone realized she was in Paris. Anna followed her throughout the marketplace, noticing the baseball hat trying to hide her reddish hair. Just the hair alone, Anna knew it was Nancy behind the sunglasses. The girl didn't even turn to look around her to make sure she wasn't being followed, almost as if she weren't really paying attention to her surroundings. Anna phoned back to headquarters, asking for backup as she continued following Nancy. The girl suddenly stopped and began looking around her. Nancy soon pulled her sunglasses off, catching sight of Anna. She immediately ran off, dropping the basket of produce she was carrying. Anna smiled as she gave chase, knowing that her prey was going to be caught finally.

* * *

Nancy was enjoying the sights around her when suddenly she got a strange feeling she was being watched. She stopped in front of a fruit stand with her basket and looked around her. Nancy pulled down her sunglasses for a better look when her eyes settled on the one person she never thought she'd see again: Lt. Mitchell. Nancy knew it was no coincidence that the woman stood feet away, especially since the woman was looking right at her with such vengeance that Nancy knew she had to get away from Mitchell. Dropping her basket, she bolted, Mitchell following close behind. Nancy jumped over people, broke up couples and groups, trying to put distance between her and the other woman. She saw a man join in on the pursuit as she rounded a corner into an alley. The other end was a good distance away but there was no one around so Nancy was able to double her speed. She heard Mitchell give orders as well as footfalls from them chasing her into the alley. Just as Nancy was about to reach the end, a van skidded to a stop, blocking her way. She looked around for a way out but knew she was trapped like a mouse in a cage. The side door of the van opened and two more men jumped out toward her. Nancy stopped feet from them, whirling around to see the others just about on top of her. Backing herself up against the wall, Nancy waited for the men to attack but they didn't. Mitchell laughed at her, throwing Nancy off guard.

"Well, well, well," Mitchell replied, smirking. "Look what we have here. And I thought my day couldn't get any better."

"What are you doing with these guys, Mitchell?" Nancy asked. "I thought you were better than that. Oh, wait. You aren't!"

"Oooo!" Mitchell laughed. "Tough talk, little girl. You might as well give up, hon. I highly doubt you'll get far fighting us."

"I don't know. I think I did a pretty good number on you the last time," Nancy taunted, standing ready to fight.

"You were lucky!" cried Mitchell. She couldn't stand the confident little twerp and watched Nancy throw the first punch to the guy next to her, knocking him down. When Nancy rounded about to face the others, she stopped as 50,000 volts went unexpectedly through her body from a taser gun Mitchell held. The former lieutenant smiled, walking up to her. "Now, not so much."

Nancy hit the ground hard, stunned from the volts still raking through her body. She never felt anything like it before and was slightly coherent as she felt someone pull her up. They heaved her over their shoulder and carried her to the van nearby. Nancy felt helpless and scared, wondering if Frank was okay before she completely blacked out.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

Amelia sat at the café, eating an éclair, relishing every bite. Although she seemed to be enjoying herself, Amelia still felt that something was off. Nancy took her by surprise when she begged her the night before to go out to the marketplace alone. She had a few misgivings about it but Amelia eventually relented. She thought about how Frank was doing alone and if her friend made it to the cottage. Amelia remembered when he popped up out of the blue while she was waiting for Nancy and Frank outside the bank in Geneva. He took her by surprise but she wasn't afraid of him since he practically saved her life. He warned her of the agent nearby taking pictures and of the two men who worked for Powers. He asked her not to tell Nancy or Frank that he was there and told her that if she ever needed help or something went wrong, he'd be there for her. When Amelia called him the day before to come help with Frank, he automatically said yes, jumping at the chance to be helpful. She wondered why he hadn't called yet and looked down at her phone, realizing that it wasn't turned on. The moment it was on, the phone started chirping numerous times with messages and then rang almost immediately.

"Amelia! Where have you been?!" cried the male voice over the phone.

"James? I forgot to turn on the phone, that's all," she said back. "Why? What's going on?"

"How could you forget to do that?! I've been trying to call for two hours!" he said. "I just got off the train in Paris. Where are you? Where's Nancy? Is she with you?"

"No. She went to the marketplace by herself," Amelia replied, getting worried as to why he was so frantic. "If you left the cottage, where's Frank?"

"I don't know! That's why I've been trying to call you!" James cried. "I got to the house early this morning and he was gone! The cottage had a broken window and the inside was ransacked. I got as much as I could bring with me and left money for the damage. I left everything at the train station and I need you to go pick it all up."

"Do you have Frank's laptop?" she asked suddenly.

"Yes, it's with the rest of the luggage. Why?"

"Frank gave me something to do in case anything like this happened and I need the laptop. How do I get it?

James gave her the information as to where the bags were and Amelia told him where Nancy had gone. He momentarily took the time to search it on his cell phone, noting that it was near the train station. He then ordered her to the hotel to check out and to head to Versailles where he had a safe house. Giving her the address and information as to who to talk to when she got there, James said he'd meet Amelia there when he found both Nancy and Frank.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'll be there as soon as I can. Now get going!"

Amelia ended the call and rushed away from the café, leaving her éclair and a few Euros behind. All she could do now was to wait and worry as she headed to the hotel.

* * *

It was early in the morning when Carson Drew sat as his desk at home, looking over the paperwork he had from a case he was working on. His mind seemed to roam onto other things as he tried to concentrate on his task. He looked at the framed photo on his desk and sighed. It was a picture of him and Nancy the year before when they got a professional to take a photo of them. She smiled back and his heart broke at the thought that she wasn't around. He missed her laugh and the twinkle she had in her eye. It had been six months since he last saw her or even heard her voice and his hope that she would soon come home was starting to dwindle. All he wanted to do was to hold her in his arms again and never let go.

Agent Davis kept calling every few weeks with updates on possible sightings but no real word as to where Nancy and Frank were. It seemed like they were trying to keep a low profile and off the radar though Carson still didn't quite understand the whole situation. His thoughts were interrupted when the doorbell rang through the house. He heard Hannah open the door and speak with someone. Soon a soft knock was at his office door and Hannah stepped in.

"Agent Davis is here," she said. "Do you want her to come in?"

"Yes!" Carson sighed. He began stacking the papers together and put them into the file folder for later. "I need a break! Send her on back."

Moments later, Agent Davis walked in with tablet in her hand. Hannah asked her if she wanted anything to drink and the agent declined but asked for her to stay in the room. When they were all settled and pleasantries completed, Agent Davis opened up her tablet and began looking at a few things before she spoke.

"I'm sorry to bother you so early, Mr. Drew," she said after finding what she was looking for. "But I have some information that needed to be addressed."

"Is everything okay, Agent Davis?" he asked, looking concerned. It had been quite a while since the agent was in his house and even the last time it wasn't the greatest of news.

"We're not really sure as of right now," she said vaguely. "I have a video to show you that was taken earlier today."

She walked around the desk and propped up the tablet in front of the picture. Carson settled in as Hannah walked around the desk as well. A video popped up that looked like a marketplace somewhere and Davis hit play. From the way several of the people were speaking, Carson assumed it was in or around France. All of a sudden, shouts rang out and a woman in a baseball hat ran by the camera, looking back momentarily. The camera person shifted toward what looked like a chase, rushing through the crowded marketplace. The person being pursued and the pursuers were knocking people over, running into others, and pulling down stands causing a lot of mayhem in the process. The video ended soon after the chase turned down an alley and Carson looked up at the agent, confused.

"I don't understand," he said. "Why are you showing us this?"

The agent sighed and fiddled with the tablet a little. When she was done, she pressed pause on the woman who ran by. The two took a closer look and immediately saw who it was.

"This was taken by an American tourist in Paris around nine this morning," Agent Davis explained. "He caught the tail end of the chase but we have confirmed that it is your daughter who was being chased."

"By who?" he asked, looking at the screen. Nancy looked terrified on the screen as she looked back at her pursuers. Agent Davis played with the tablet again, moving it forward a bit to catch the side of another woman's face.

"Do you recognize this woman?" she asked. Carson and Hannah stared at the screen though they still couldn't figure out who it was.

"No, who is she?" asked Carson, finally.

"Are you sure?" Agent Davis urged. Hannah took a closer look and gasped when she recognized the woman.

"It's the lieutenant that wanted Nancy and Frank in jail six months ago!" she cried. "But why would she chase her through a marketplace?"

"We have reason to believe that the former lieutenant joined Powers' organization about two months ago," Agent Davis stated slowly.

"What!? How did that happen?" Carson yelled.

"She disappeared soon after her father was put in jail," Davis continued. "We know that she used her father's contacts to find Powers but it ends there. We don't know very much of anything as of now except that Mitchell could be very high in his organization."

"Is anyone doing anything about this? Are they looking for her?" Carson demanded.

"Police were called but none of the people in the chase were caught or found," Davis stated, sadly. Her phone chirped with a message and she looked down at it, continuing. "On the other side of the alley, witnesses reported a van rushing off but no one came out of the alley. Excuse me."

She walked away, reading her phone leaving Carson and Hannah to stare at the screen. Carson was worried about Nancy and hoped she was okay. He felt helpless being so far away from her. Agent Davis returned moments later, interrupting his thoughts.

"I have to get going," she replied, taking the tablet and closing it. "Something came up that I need to look into. Please, whatever you do, don't do anything drastic. Okay? We'll find her and she'll be home soon."

"Thank you, Agent Davis," Carson stated. He thought about her warning but knew he wasn't going to heed it. He just needed to figure out what he was going to do and where to start.

* * *

Joe Hardy woke up suddenly, his dream still vivid in his mind. He didn't know why he had such a horrible nightmare but his heart was racing a mile a minute. Frank was in his dream and he was in trouble though Joe could not get to him. Wiping the sweat from his face, he looked over at his alarm clock. It read 2:45 in the morning. Joe tried to roll over and go back to sleep but the image of Frank kept coming up so he decided to get up and shower.

Once his shower was over and he was dressed, Joe stayed in his room to watch TV and finally started dozing. Around 8am, he woke up to the sound of his parents moving about downstairs. Joe went down to the kitchen to find his mother making breakfast at the stove and his father sitting at the table, reading a newspaper.

"Oh, god. Now all we need is the Beaver and we'll be stuck in Pleasantville forever," Joe said sarcastically, grabbing a piece of bacon from the plate. His mother slapped his hand though he was still able to snatch the bacon away.

"Wouldn't that be you?" Fenton Hardy asked him from behind the paper.

"How's that, Dad?" Joe said plopping down at the table with the bacon in hand. Laura placed bacon, eggs, and toast onto the table and he started shoveling food onto the plate in front of him.

"Really?" Fenton said, looking at his younger son from over the paper. He placed a piece of toast on his plate. "Have you ever watched the show?"

"Yeah, so?"

"You would be the Beaver, Joe. You're the more mischievous one while Fra…" Fenton caught himself before saying his older son's name but it was too late. Laura looked at him, eyes watering and left the room abruptly, her plate of eggs and bacon still on the table. "Now, see what you did?"

" _I_ did?" Joe defended.

"Never mind, you'd be the Beaver."

"Fine. I'm the Beaver." Joe sat for a few minutes, quietly staring at his food though he was hungry. "Dad?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you miss him?" The paper crinkled as Fenton set the paper on the table. He looked at Joe over his reading glasses, thinking.

"Yes, Joe," he answered, taking off his glasses. "I miss him more than you know. Your mother is taking it harder though and any mention of him, upsets her more. He'll be back soon enough."

"But it's been six months, Dad!" Joe cried, but kept his voice low. "I can't stand going out with friends anymore because they're constantly asking if we heard from him. Or they would tell stories about the past, which is just as upsetting. Even Callie's been asking, and her and Frank haven't been together in almost a year! The only person who hasn't asked is Vanessa."

"She knows that it hurts, Joe," Fenton replied. "Vanessa is respecting you by not asking all the time because she understands. I'm not saying the others aren't understand, though. They're just concerned about you and about Frank. It means they care."

"Okay, Dad." Joe sat silently again, picking at his food. He was thinking of the dream again but didn't know how to breach the subject with him.

"What's on your mind, son?" Fenton asked noticing Joe struggle with words. "It's not like you to leave food uneaten."

"I…I had a dream, Dad," Joe muttered, looking at the table. "It was about Frank. I think he may be in serious trouble. He was in a lot of pain."

"What was going on?" Fenton asked, suddenly concerned.

"It had William Powers in it," Joe said, staring at his dad. "They were talking and there was a knife."

"What were they talking about?"

"Powers was mad about money. At least I think it was about money. But then the subject changed to Nancy. Powers couldn't find her and wanted information from Frank. Dad, am I going crazy?"

Fenton looked at Joe for a few minutes, wondering if the dream was mirroring what was going on in real life. His two sons were always extremely close and it wouldn't surprise him if the dream was real which alarmed him immensely.

"No, I don't think you're going crazy," Fenton finally answered. "I think it's time for us to give Agent Davis a call. We haven't heard from her in a while and I've been wondering myself if they found anything recently."

He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Agent Davis' number. She answered after the second ring and wasn't surprised to hear from him, which caught Fenton off guard.

"How did you know I'd be calling?"

"I just got done talking to Carson Drew," she explained. "Thought maybe he called you or sent a text."

"No, I'm calling for another reason. Is everything okay? Have you found them yet?"

Agent Davis went quiet and Fenton almost thought she hung up until she coughed.

"How did you know something was wrong?" she asked cautiously. "I only told Mr. Drew and maybe one agent. I was going to call you soon about something else that just came up."

Fenton's heart skipped a beat listening to the woman. Joe was right. There was something going on and Frank was in trouble. He put her on speaker so Joe could hear and they both listened intently to everything she told Carson.

"So, they're in Paris?"

"One of them for sure," Davis replied. "We have no idea where Frank is."

"Okay. So what's the information that you were going to tell us?"

"Interpol sent me an email," she stated. "There was a B and E reported in a small village about a two hour drive from Paris. Owner of the house came by to check up on his tenants, who paid in advance for a week, and he found a broken window along with the inside completely torn apart. Nice thing was that someone left more than enough Euros to accommodate the damage but he still reported it to the local police. When they searched the place and found a wallet, they had no choice but to contact Interpol."

"What does this have to do with what happened in Paris?" Joe asked.

"The name on the ID was an American by the name of Frank Moore," Agent Davis stated, "but when they checked the name, it came back a different face. In fact, the man's been dead for quite some time."

"Okay," Fenton said. "Then who's the person in the photo if it wasn't this Frank Moore?"

"They sent me a photo of the ID to confirm it," she said. "It's your son's photo. That's how they've been getting around Europe undetected. Plus they're using cash wherever they go. Along with the ID, there was over 3000 Euros but no credit cards."

"So, where did he go?"

"That is the burning question, Mr. Hardy, and I intend to find out."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Amelia was well on her way to Versailles when she pulled out Frank's laptop, praying the battery wouldn't die on her. Following the instructions he gave her, Amelia was soon on the same chat room Frank used though she used a different username. Though she couldn't find Kyla directly, Amelia sent out an email to the girl and waited. A few minutes later, a response came back but it was one Amelia did not expect. A link was all the response said and she clicked on it. The screen seemed to go blank but as Amelia looked closer, she saw it was a dark room and suddenly a young woman came onto the screen.

"Hey, Amelia," replied the girl, smiling. She looked to be about 20 years old with shocking pink hair. "Sorry to scare you like that. I had to change everything since someone hacked my system to find Frank. We're good now and shouldn't have any problems. I'm Kyla. What's going on?"

"Oh! You took me by surprise! I didn't expect this," Amelia replied.

"It's all good," Kyla said, turning serious. "You wouldn't be contacting me unless something was wrong."

"Frank was taken last night and Nancy might be in trouble too," Amelia stated. "Is there anything that you can do to help?"

"Was it Powers?"

"We believe so," Amelia continued. "Frank and Nancy don't know it but James is in Paris, looking for both of them. He needs help."

"If Powers' organization is in Paris, I can look up to see where they might be," Kyla looked away from the screen and began typing. She remained silent for a few moments before she found what she was looking for. "Got it, looks like they're in the middle of the city. It's the only one with enough security to match the White House. Hacking in might prove to be a bit harder. Give me a sec."

Amelia's phone chirped with a message. She looked down finding a message from James.

- _Just missed them in the marketplace. They have Nancy and we need to find them soon._

"Is that James now?" Kyla asked, looking at the screen.

"Yes, he said he missed them and isn't sure where they went." Amelia gave her the marketplace where he was at and waited.

"He's near the building, about four blocks away. I'll send him a text with the information." Amelia got another message from James and looked at her phone.

- _Are you on your way to Versailles?_

 _-Yes and I got a hold of Kyla. She's sending you information now. Did you get it?_

 _-Okay. I just got it seconds ago. I have people who can help get Frank and Nancy out. Will contact you later. Be safe._

 _-You too._

"Amelia, get to safety now," Kyla urged. "I doubt they care you are with them but I wouldn't put it past this man to harm anyone Frank and Nancy may know. I'll keep in touch if anything changes."

"Thank you, Kyla," Amelia replied with a smile. "Send me a message if you need me."

"Will do. Later."

Amelia stared at the screen that changed back to the chat room she was on before. She sighed as she turned the computer off and place it back into its case. All she could do now was head to Versailles and wait for Kyla or James to let her know what was going on. Amelia just hoped James can get them out before it's too late.

* * *

James waited outside the building where Kyla told him Powers was at. He photographed the area while monitoring who went in and out of the building. Before getting to the building, he called in a few favors with some old friends who agreed to meet with him a hotel nearby. Hours later, he was just finishing up his surveillance and began his hike back to the hotel. When he checked in, James paid the manager extra to allow him to only have the room for a few hours. He knew he had to get in and out of Powers' building quickly and didn't want the burden of checking out of a hotel. Kyla was getting more information for him to formulate a plan but it all counted on her being able to hack into the building's system. Without that, there would be no plan.

While waiting for his buddies to arrive, James went on a technology shopping spree, getting as much stuff as he could get his hands on that would help with infiltrating Powers' organization. Once back at the hotel, he set up everything, making sure the tech worked and sent a message to Kyla in order for her to send him the information he needed. Within seconds, the schematics of the building popped up on the small handheld tablet he had.

- _Still working on getting in. They have more firewalls than Fort Knox. I'll let you know when I get in._

There was a knock at his door and James cautiously approached the door. He looked out the peephole to see his three friends standing on the other side. All three of them were old buddies from James' criminal days, one of whom actually was an agent for the CIA at one point.

"Thanks, guys, for coming," he replied, opening the door for them. All three of them carried large bags which James assumed were filled with their "toys."

"I didn't think we had a choice," replied a blond man who went by the name Turner. "You said you were calling in a favor, so here we are!"

"What's this all about, James?" asked a dark haired man named Drew Mason. All three men plopped down on the bed, their bags left on the floor. They sat intently waiting for James to tell them why he called.

"Do you remember me telling you about my girl back home?" James asked.

"Yeah, Kate something, right?" answered Colin Walters. "You used to show pictures of her all the time. Drove us nuts too. What about her?"

James explained what happened over the course of the past year from meeting Dr. Cox to what happened six months before in Chicago. Drew whistled loudly after hearing the details. James continued, telling them of how Kate died but her daughter was in trouble in Paris and he needed their help to get her and her friend out of Powers' building.

"Wait a minute," said Turner, holding up his hands. "Powers? As in William Powers? The head of the largest crime syndicate in Europe? THAT William Powers?"

"Yes."

"No way," said Turner. "I can't do it! I have a family now and if he finds out we did this, my whole family is gone! Wiped off the face of the planet!"

"I have to agree with Turner," replied Colin, looking at James. "We have families to think of."

"Speak for yourself, Colin," Drew said. James smiled knowing that Drew would be the first to agree. He was the most willing to help anyone as he used to be CIA and knew what was at stake. "I may have family too but they know when to leave if need be. I'm for it. Powers is no cakewalk but I would love to stick it to him. I'm game!"

"It's your decision, Colin. Turner," replied James, looking at each one. "But Nancy and Frank have families at home too who they left behind to protect them. If Powers is able to activate either one of them or worse, both, their families will die at their hand. Powers will make sure of it. I understand how you feel about your own families but can you live with the outcome of what I just told you?"

The three men looked at one another, contemplating their dilemma. Although Drew did agree to help, James knew he needed the other two as backup and gunmen.

"Okay, I'm in," Colin finally replied, sighing. "You're tugging at my heart strings here, pal! Since when did you care about someone other than yourself?"

"Since I met Nancy," James replied with a grim face.

"What do you need us to do?" Turner said.

* * *

Nancy was starting to become aware of her surroundings. She felt someone carry her over their shoulder and heard excited voices around her including one that made her angry.

"That was fun!" replied Mitchell with glee. "Mr. Powers is waiting for us in his office. Let's go before she comes to completely."

Nancy heard the name Powers and jerked a little as if trying to maneuver herself off her captor's shoulder. She felt a hand pull her head up to look into her face, her eyes rolling around and open. Nancy focused on the person for a split second, seeing Mitchell smiling at her.

"Nice of you to join us, Nancy," she said. "I know you can't move just yet and seeing you like this gives me such great pleasure but you are the star of the show right now. Mr. Powers is waiting."

The man never let her go and continued to carry her onto an elevator. Nancy's eyes kept roaming around, trying to focus on her surroundings while she started to feel tingly throughout her body. When they finally stepped off the elevator, they took her down a hall with a lot of doors. As they approached two large doors, they automatically opened together revealing a man with salt and pepper hair, wearing a large grin on his face.

"Ah! Anna, you have done wonderfully!" he cried meeting them in the hall. The man walked around to take a closer look at Nancy and frowned a bit. "What's wrong with her?"

"I had a little bit of fun when we caught up to her," Mitchell said. "If I hadn't stunned her with the taser though, she would have escaped again."

"Although I do applaud you for finding her, I do not like the method of apprehension," he said. "You could damage her without even knowing it. Bring her in and sit her down in the chair. I want to talk to her."

The men holding Nancy plopped her down in one of the comfortable chairs in the middle of the room. Powers stood in front of her, grinning as she looked around, groggily.

"Hello there, Nancy," the man replied. When she looked at him fully, he smiled at her with a toothy grin though she still was on edge about the whole situation. Nancy knew who he had to be and wanted to get away but her body wouldn't move from the effects of the taser. "Nice to meet you finally. I'm William Powers. I must say, it's no wonder Frank didn't want to say anything about you. I'd protect you too."

He bent over to stare at her eyes, which were still a little glassy. Powers caressed her cheek softly but Nancy couldn't move to get away from him.

"Such lovely eyes," he replied. Nancy blinked slowly at him, not able to say anything. Her hands were in her lap and she was able to finally move her fingers, getting feeling in them again. Hearing a noise behind her, Nancy cocked her head to see Mitchell standing nearby, her arms folded in front of her. The woman almost looked a little jealous. Nancy was really beginning to hate the woman and showed it. Powers shifted her head to face him.

"Now, what is it about you that Dr. Cox liked you so much?" he asked. He stared at her as if trying to look into her soul. To him, she didn't seem like much of a fighter though Mitchell did hit her with 50,000 volts. "I want to see who you are, really."

Nancy started getting a bad feeling about this man. She knew from what Frank had told her about William Powers that he was ruthless and cunning but could also be a bit charming. Sitting there, looking at him, Nancy began to have feeling in the rest of her body, slowly moving limbs without anyone getting the better of it.

"Where's Frank?" she was able to say though it was barely audible. Powers looked at her and smiled.

"You'll see," he whispered back, mocking her. She watched him step closer to her as she continued to get feeling in her legs. "Such a horrible face, Nancy! It's not very becoming of you!"

"I'm not sure you should be so close to her, sir," replied Mitchell. "She may be unpredictable."

"I think I can handle her, Anna," he said, looking at the former lieutenant. As he was distracted by Mitchell, Nancy found her moment and kicked her leg up as hard as she could right into Powers' groin. He doubled over as Nancy tried to get up only to be stopped by the two large men nearby, each one of them pushing her down to the ground. Powers laughed through the pain as he rose slowly.

"I told you," Anna smirked.

"Yes, you did, smart ass," Powers said, looking at Nancy struggling on the ground. "I should have expected that. Now I see why he chose you. Such fire! It's what I like about a woman with spunk!"

He went over to his desk and found a zip-tie, motioning for the men to pull her up.

"You do that again and I'll break something," Powers replied, pulling the tie tight onto her wrists. He grabbed her by the arm and half-dragged her out the door. "Let's go visit Frank, shall we? I can't wait to see the look on his face when we walk in!"

Holding Nancy firmly by the arm to the point of hurting her, he guided her down the hall to a door with a guard. Powers used a magnetic key to unlock the door and pulled Nancy inside. She gasped when she saw Frank inside, hanging from the ceiling. His torso was caked in dry blood, marks swirled all around his chest as if someone took a knife to him.

"Frank!" she yelled. Nancy tried to get away from Powers but the man held her in place. She cried out when he squeezed her arm too hard, Frank hearing the cry and looking up.

"No!" he cried, struggling with his bonds.

"I told you we would find her, Frank," Powers taunted. "And the funny thing is, we didn't even have to look! Someone just happened upon her! What luck!"

He slammed Nancy to the ground, away from Frank. She shifted herself to a sitting position but didn't get up. Anna stood over her, waiting to see if Nancy would fight.

"Now that Nancy has joined our company," Powers stated, "there's one other I want to know from you, Frank. Where is my money?"

"I told you, I don't know!" Frank said defiantly.

"There's one thing I detest above all besides disloyalty and that is lying," Powers said through gritted teeth. He walked over to Frank, grabbing the knife again. "You lied to me before about where Nancy was and you know what happened then. Now, where is my money?"

"I don't know!"

"Leave him alone!" cried Nancy. Frank looked at her and Powers followed his gaze. He smiled, taking the knife with him and walked over to Nancy. She tried to scoot away from him only to be stopped by Mitchell, who laughed. He pulled her up, cut the zip-tie and dragged her by the wrist over to Frank.

"Last time, where's my money?" Powers sneered at him. Nancy was trying to pull away but he just held her tight, squeezing her wrist painfully. She looked at Frank and shook her head. Nancy looked back at Powers, unsure of what the man was about to do to her. When Frank didn't answer, Powers twisted Nancy's wrist until a loud crack rang through the room as he broke the bone. Nancy screamed in agonizing pain, trying to hold on to her broken wrist with her good hand, though Powers still held her tight. She tried her best to keep her composure but the pain was excruciating and tears rolled down her face. Frank watched helplessly as Nancy's eyes rolled up and she collapsed to the floor, Powers finally letting go.

"What did you do that for?" yelled Frank, now standing on his own strength allowing his arms some reprieve.

"To prove a point!" Powers yelled back, getting in his face. "I want my money, Hardy, and if means hurting her to get you to tell me then so be it!"

"I told you everything! I don't know where the money is and neither did she!"

"I still don't believe you, Frank. When you two are healed and ready to party, I'll find out. Mark my words. Just remember, you and Nancy belong to me and so does that money."

Powers looked down at Nancy and motioned for one of the men to pick her up. They walked out of the room silently. Mitchell soon followed but not before she blew a kiss to Frank and turned out the lights, leaving him in the dark to scream at Powers.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

When Fenton hung up the phone with Agent Davis, he looked at Joe sadly. It wasn't often that he could feel completely helpless but this was one of those moments. There was only one thing that he knew he could do.

"I need to get to Paris," Fenton said suddenly, taking Joe by surprise. "Now."

He rushed up the stairs just as his cell phone rang where he left it on the kitchen table. Joe answered it and followed Fenton upstairs.

"Dad, you need to take this," Joe said, handing the phone to his father.

"Hello?" Fenton said impatiently. He walked into the bedroom seeing Laura sitting on the bed, sniffling.

"Fenton!" cried a familiar voice. "Did you speak to Agent Davis recently?"

"Carson? Um, yeah, we just got off the phone with her. Why?"

"So you got some news from her about Frank and Nancy?" Carson sounded distant on the phone as if he had his cell phone on speaking. Fenton could hear him opening drawers and throwing things around.

"Yes, we did. What are you doing?"

"Packing," Carson answered breathlessly. "Hannah is finding a flight to Paris for me via LaGuardia if you're interested in joining me."

"That's funny because I was thinking the same thing," Fenton replied with a laugh. Joe looked at him and rushed to his room to pack. "Count me in. In fact, tell her to book my flight from LaGuardia too if she can. I'll pay you back. That way we're on the same page."

"You got it." Carson paused briefly to go talk to Hannah then returned. "She's getting it done now."

"Let me know when and where and I'll meet you there. See you soon."

Once the call ended, Fenton began pulling clothes out of the closet along with his suitcase. Laura watched him, wondering what he was doing. Joe rushed into the room, a look of panic etched on his face.

"Dad! I can't find my passport!" he cried, watching his Dad pack.

"You're not going, Joe!" Fenton replied.

"But Dad! I need to go with you!" Joe protested.

"What are you talking about?" asked Laura. She took a tissue and wiped her face.

"I'm leaving for Paris," Fenton replied, pulling clothes out of the closet.

"Why? What happened?" she cried.

"I just got off the phone with Agent Davis," he answered. Laura held her breath and silently said a prayer. "I'm meeting up with Carson at LaGuardia."

"And I'm going with you!" Joe cried.

"I said 'NO!'" yelled Fenton. Laura jumped at his sudden rise in temper. Joe's mouth clamped shut as he stared at his father. Fenton lowered his voice and continued. "I'm sorry Joe but I really don't want you there. It's bad enough we don't have Frank and I don't know what I'd do if I lost you too."

The room got quiet. Fenton continued packing while Joe stood in the doorway, looking at the ground. Laura sat silently, not knowing what to say.

"Look, Joe," Fenton said, walking over to his younger son. "There are times when you can't be a part of something this is one of those times. Carson and I will handle it if we can."

"But who's going to be there to back you up?" Joe asked quietly. "You'll be in a different country. Hell, a different continent, across an ocean from those you know. Who's going to be there for you?"

"We'll figure it out," Fenton smiled. "I always do."

"But why Paris?" asked Laura. She looked up at Fenton, waiting for him to tell her what was going on.

"Agent Davis said they're in Paris," Fenton replied. He didn't really want to tell Laura everything but he cringed slightly when she gave him a look. She folded her arms in front of her chest and he knew he couldn't keep it from her. "She believes they may have been taken by Powers."

Laura thought for a moment then stood and walked over to the dresser. She pulled out the gun he always kept there and hid it among the clothes in the suitcase.

"You do whatever it takes to bring our son back," Laura replied. "Even if you can't convince him to come home, I want to know that Frank is okay. Nancy too."

"I will." Fenton's cell phone chirped with a message. He looked at it to see a message from Carson. He was going to be in LaGuardia in a few hours and their flight to Paris left soon after. They would arrive in the city the next day. Fenton just hoped it wouldn't be too late.

* * *

Amelia arrived in Versailles and found the safe house James told her about. A man named Pierre ran a tavern attached to the house and was able to move her there once she told him the password. Once she was settled in, Amelia sat at the table in the kitchen, waiting for word from either Kyla or James. It didn't take long before she got a phone call from the young girl from the States.

"We have a problem, Amelia," Kyla said over the phone.

"What's that?" Amelia asked, concerned as to what else could go wrong.

"Well, Frank gave me instructions for a few things which included keeping an eye out for anyone in his family or Nancy's buying a plane ticket to Europe," Kyla explained. "Less than an hour ago, Carson Drew bought two tickets to Paris via LaGuardia Airport. I'm assuming the second ticket is for Fenton Hardy. Is there any way you can contact Nancy's dad and stop him?"

"How can I stop him?" Amelia said. "He's a grown man and can fend for himself. Let him and Fenton come. Why is it that Frank wanted to know if they were coming?"

"Because he knew they would have a target on their back the moment they landed," Kyla said. "We can handle getting Frank and Nancy out of Paris but we probably won't be able to help Carson and Fenton at the same time. If I know they're coming, Powers will eventually too. They can't come to Paris!"

Amelia was silent for a few moments. She didn't know how she was going to stop Carson Drew from getting on that plane to Paris. When he had something on his mind, he went with it even with the consequences. And if he knows Nancy is in trouble, then he'd be there to help in any way he could.

"I'll see what I can do," she finally said. "I can't promise anything and I'm sure by now, he's on the plane to New York. Am I right?"

"You are correct," Kyla said. "Frank was adamant about them coming to find them over the months. He was afraid of this. In fact, he was afraid of a lot of things that had to do with their families."

"How's that?"

"He was afraid of being the one to hurt them again. I don't think he would be able to recover from it if he ever did. Just make sure you explain as much as you can to Carson without giving away everything. Understand?"

"Okay," Amelia agreed. "I'll let you know."

She ended the call and sighed. _How am I going to do this?_ she thought. Amelia knew it wasn't going to be easy but soon found herself dialing Carson's number, secretly hoping the man wouldn't answer.

* * *

Carson sat in his seat in first class watching the clouds go by. He felt lucky that Hannah was able to get one of the last seats on the plane to LaGuardia let alone it being in First Class. The plane ride would not be long but he settled back to rest when his phone went off in his pocket. Carson pulled out the phone, frowning when he noticed the number was blocked. He shrugged and declined the call, setting the phone down in the armrest. A moment later, the phone rang again interrupting his rest. For the second time, he declined the call. It took one more time for the phone to ring, that Carson got annoyed and finally answered.

"Whoever you are, please stop calling!" he cried into the phone but kept his voice down.

"Don't hang up!" replied a voice on the other line. Carson's hand stopped, recognizing the voice. He was so shocked to hear her that he almost dropped the phone.

"Amelia?" he squeaked out, his own voice cracking. "Please tell me they're okay?"

"I'm sorry, Carson," Amelia said sadly. He closed his eyes, his worst fear coming true. "Frank was taken sometime last night and they took Nancy earlier this morning."

"What happened?" Carson cried, the other passengers looking over at him for his outburst. He continued, lowering his voice. "I thought this wasn't going to happen!"

"I'm not exactly sure but it may have something to do with Frank contacting Kyla," Amelia stated. "That's all I know. But it's not why I'm calling."

"If it's not to tell me that, then what?" he said angrily.

"I'm calling to warn you and Fenton," Amelia stated. "DO NOT COME TO PARIS!"

"What? How did you know?"

"I know you're on a plane to New York to pick up Fenton," Amelia explained. "But I'm not going to tell you how I know. I think you can figure that one out yourself. I will tell you though that both of your lives will be in danger the moment you step off the plane in Paris."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say that their programming is still intact and since Powers now has them, take a wild guess as to what they're capable of," Amelia said. She was trying to be nice about it but she still felt it sounded a little rude. "I have tried for months to get rid of their programming but those two have done nothing but fight since the moment they left River Heights. My help has actually backfired on their sessions and I thought by now it would be over. I'm so sorry."

Carson could hear her sobbing on the line. He felt bad for her because he knew all she wanted to do was help. Carson had a feeling that Amelia was right. If he got to Paris and saw Nancy, she would very well kill him instead of giving him a hug.

"Is there a plan to get them back?" Carson asked sternly.

"It's in the works but I don't know what he's planning."

Carson's heart began racing. There was another person out there helping and he had a feeling as to who it was. It was the only person it could be though Carson wanted nothing more than to see the man in jail for what he did.

"Please tell me it's not James Matthews."

Amelia was quiet for a few moments and in that time, Carson knew it was James. Sadly he felt that the man was the best chance for Nancy and Frank to escape.

"Okay," Carson finally said. "When I get to New York, I'll stop there and stay with the Hardys. But you had better keep me posted about what is going on!"

"Of course," Amelia said, sighing in relief. "Thank you."

"I can't believe that I'm saying this but you tell James to be careful and bring back my little girl."

"I will," Amelia replied. "And I'll let you know anything the moment I do."

The phone went dead and Carson leaned back in his seat. He knew she was warning him out of respect and care for him and Fenton but he couldn't help thinking that the warning wasn't just from her. A few minutes later, the captain announced they were about to arrive in New York. Carson readied himself and his things to depart the plane.

As the plane landed and taxied to the gate, he wondered how Fenton was going to take the news. Walking off the plane, Carson didn't have time to really think before he caught site of Fenton, Laura, and Joe standing by the arrivals terminal, waving to him. He tried to keep his face calm and clear as he approached them but Fenton knew something was up.

"What's going on?" Fenton asked the moment Carson stopped in front of him.

"We need to talk," Carson answered. "We're not going to make it to our flight either."


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:**

 **If you haven't read the previous chapters, please read them before reading this one! Again, thank you for those who have been reviewing the story. Enjoy!**

Chapter Six

As Nancy was placed in a cell, Powers and Anna walked back to his office. He didn't care if he hurt the girl or not. Powers just wanted to see the look of hopelessness in Frank's eyes, the knowledge that no one was coming to save them this time. The money was inconsequential to him but it would be nice to have it back.

"Get Garrison here," he ordered Anna. "I want those two bandaged up and ready to go in a few days. We need to be in New York by the end of next week."

"It may take a few hours for him to get here, sir," she answered, standing before him while he sat down at his desk. "Garrison went to Berlin to check on our facility there."

"I don't care! Just get him back here!" Powers yelled. "I don't want any setbacks! Now move!"

"Yes, sir," Anna bowed and left the room quickly. Nathan came in once she left and sat down in the chair in front of the desk.

"Sir, the girl may be out for a while," he replied. "What you did to her may take a time to heal and the pain was excruciating for her."

"I know that, Nathan," Powers said, annoyed, "but it got a rise out of Hardy. We need that. Keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't go into shock. I can't have her dying on us before Garrison gets back."

"Are you sure you want to wait to reset the bone?" Nathan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't have a choice, Nathan, unless you happen to know how to reset one." Powers looked at his second in command who didn't say a word and pursed his lips. "That's what I thought. She can handle the pain for a little while till he gets here. As for Hardy, clean him up but don't take him down just yet. I don't want him to get the idea he could escape."

"Yes, Mr. Powers," Nathan said, rising from his chair. He closed the door leaving Powers to sit and contemplate his next move.

* * *

Later that night, James watched the building, his three friends waiting nearby in the van they had. They were all wearing black, ready to take on the obstacle that lay before them. From the information Kyla gave him, James knew Powers lived in the building to keep close to his business and to stay out of sight from others. The man seemed paranoid of Interpol and other criminals attacking his organization even though most other thugs didn't come near him. James knew they had to be careful not to set off alarms right off away or this would be a very short rescue attempt to get Nancy and Frank out.

Kyla was finally able to hack into the building's system undetected and record videos of various areas where the four rescuers would be. Once they were ready, she would play the videos in a loop along with wreaking havoc on the building by locking the magnetic doors and elevators except for ones the four men would need. Once that happened, it would only be a matter of minutes before Powers would know something was wrong.

"You ready, Kyla?" asked James through his communication bud.

 _"Yup. You're good to go. I'm running the recordings…now. From what I see, you have minimal guards to worry about."_

"Copy. Thanks! Keep us posted if there are any issues."

 _"You got it. Good luck!"_

James got back into the van and slowly drove to the underground parking lot, stopping not far from the elevator bank. Keeping to the shadows, the four men went to the ducts and began their long climb to the floor where Nancy and Frank were being held. They wanted to avoid the elevator on the way up just in case someone spotted them. As they got to the floor they needed to be on, they split into two groups even though the cells were not far from each other. James and Colin went for Nancy while Drew and Turner went for Frank. They were still in the ducts when Kyla's voice yelled in his ear.

 _"All of you, stop!"_ The two men stopped just as James heard a woman go by below them, talking on her phone enthusiastically.

"It was great, Mom! I'm still smiling about it…Dad would be so proud! When Mr. Powers broke her wrist, I wanted to shout for joy! Served her right…" The one-sided conversation dissipated as the woman rounded a corner away from them and James blew a sigh of relief. He prayed that the person the woman was talking about was not Nancy but he had a feeling it was. Looking back at Colin, he motioned for him to move, finally coming to the opening outside Nancy's door.

They dropped down one by one just as the distinct click came from the magnetic lock, opening the door. James slowly opened it into a small room with only a bed in the corner. Nancy lay on her back, her breathing labored. As James approached her, he noticed she was sweating and her wrist was swollen three times larger than it should be. He whispered her name and she groaned softly, her eyes trying to open. James gently picked her up, trying hard not to injure her even more and carried her to the door where Colin waited, his gun ready.

"She okay?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," James said, worried. "We'll have to get her to Amelia as soon as we can to see if she can help. Kyla, where is Powers?"

 _"Still in his office,"_ she answered. _"The man doesn't seem to sleep. He's talking to someone though I'm not sure how much longer you have. Be very quiet."_

"Got it," James whispered. Colin led the way around a corner as Drew stuck his head out a door and gave a thumbs up. Turner was helping a wide-awake Frank out the door, surprising James that the young man was able to partially stand let alone walk. Although his shoes were gone, Frank was now wearing a shirt, covering the bandages from when he was cleaned up earlier though blood was still seeping through the shirt. James followed Colin, meeting the other group at the door.

"James?" Frank said softly. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Saving your ass," James spat back. "If you want, I can put you back in there and just take Nancy."

"No, I'm not going back!" Frank stated, shaking his head. "How is she?"

"Getting heavy, let's go," James stated. "We have to get out of here before they realize what's going on? Kyla, all good?"

 _"No! Powers just got a phone call and is getting ready to leave! They know! Go!"_

They soon heard pounding coming from down the hall and the men started for the elevator that stood open ahead of them, thanks to Kyla. The doors closed just as they saw Powers and another man round the corner. The elevator slowly took them down, James knowing that Kyla was making sure it never stopped until they reached the basement.

"Be careful with her, James," Frank stated through gritted teeth. James looked over at him, concerned when he saw beads of sweat running down his face. "Don't worry about me. Nancy needs help. Powers broke her wrist on purpose."

"Ouch," muttered Turner, looking over at Nancy whose eyes were still trying to open.

"We'll handle it," James replied. The elevator doors opened, revealing the van right where they left it. "Are _you_ okay?"

"I told you, I'm fine," Frank said, looking away. James could tell he was lying but didn't say anything as they rushed to the van. Drew lifted Frank's other arm when he noticed him stumbling and helped him the rest of the way with Turner. Colin got into the driver's seat and started the vehicle as Turner and Drew helped Frank in. James gently set Nancy on one of the long seats, making sure she was stable enough for when they drove off. He just finished getting her settled when several shots rang out. Their time had run out as Powers and his men caught up to them.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want me to check on them, Mr. Powers?" asked the man with a British accent sitting in the chair in front of Powers' desk. A medical bag lay on the floor, the man kept eyeing it as if it were going to move.

"Garrison, I assure you, they can wait a little longer," Powers stated. "I want to know what's going on in Berlin. It's more important. Is the new drug ready?"

"I'm not a researcher, sir," Garrison explained. "I don't know why you put me in charge there. I'm a medical doctor and deal with medical issues, not drugs."

"Ah, but you do know a little about drugs," Powers laughed. "You're too modest on yourself. It's part of the reason why I hired you. When you administered the death medications to your patients several years ago, I knew I needed you with me. Besides, if it weren't for me, you would be rotting in a jail or worse, executed. Humor me, why don't you?"

"Those people were dying anyway! I was just helping them along. I'm not a monster." Garrison stammered. Powers gave him a look of pure fury and the doctor continued nervously. "The drug is almost complete. A synthetic drug far worse and more addictive than heroin is what you wanted, correct? The test subjects get addicted right away but they die within a few days. We need a little more time to perfect it."

"You have a week to finish," Powers said with a frown. "My buyers are very impatient and I need to deliver to keep my reputation. They don't want their frequent customers dying on them either. They lose money that way. I want it ready for when I leave for New York at the end of next week. Understand?"

"Yes, Mr. Powers." The phone rang and Powers picked it up after one ring.

"I said I didn't want to be disturbed." He got quiet, listening to the person on the other line frantically telling him something. "What do you mean the doors are all locked? What do the cameras read?" Powers face started getting red, when the person explained. "Get everyone up, NOW! Something's not right!"

Powers hung up the phone, Garrison looking at him curiously. The man rushed to the door and tried opening it only to find it locked. Using his key card, Powers attempted to open the door several times only to hear a beeping sound and no click of the lock. Throwing the card across the room, he began ramming his shoulder into the door, yelling for Garrison to help. The two men were finally able to break the door down and Powers ran down the hall. He rounded the corner just as the elevator doors closed with six people on board, two of whom he recognized. He screamed in anger, knowing they were getting away and rushed to the stairs nearby with Garrison behind him.

As Powers took two steps at a time down the stairs, he wondered how this could have happened. Was it an inside job or did someone hack into the system that was supposed to be foolproof. On every level, his men rushed into the stairwell with him, all of them armed. By the time he reached the bottom floor, he felt winded but determined to get both Nancy and Frank back. He had to. His plan wouldn't work if he didn't have them. Stepping out of the stairwell and into the garage, Powers saw the men getting into a van. He yelled for his men to open fire but to make sure they didn't hit Nancy or Frank, neither of whom he saw.

Three of the rescuers pulled out their guns and returned fire on Powers' men, causing them all to scramble for cover. The gunfight ensued until one of the rescuers was shot in the chest, the others grabbing a hold of their friend and pulling him into the van. The door slammed shut and the van took off, Powers chasing after them before yelling in frustration. He watched the van disappear around the corner and kicked a nearby trash can over in anger.

"How did this happen?" Powers yelled, walking back to where his men were. "How did we not know they were here?"

"I think I got one, sir," replied a man with a small smile. Powers looked over at him, annoyed, pulled out his gun and shot the man dead.

"Anyone else want to be a smartass?" When no one answered, he stormed back to the stairs. "I want them found! Put out a reward! Find them all! Whoever these men are, I want them dead!"


	8. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:**

 **I hope that everyone gets notification of this update! If you did, chapters 3-6 have been published already and you may need to check them over to see if you haven't read them yet! Thanks to everyone who has kept up with the chapters though! I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say about the story so far! Enjoy!**

Chapter Seven

Fenton and Carson sat in the living room after dinner, talking about what they had been doing since the last time they saw each other. Laura was in the kitchen with Joe who was helping her clean up. Ever since Frank left, Joe took it upon himself to help out more around the house for his mother. He thought about moving out since he was about to turn 25 but decided to wait a little while as to not hurt her more.

Laura kissed her son, excusing him from helping her anymore and he walked into the living room just as Carson's phone rang off. The man stared at it for a few seconds, thinking of who it was and answered it after the fourth ring.

"Carson," Amelia replied.

"Amelia!" he cried. "Where have you been? Is everything okay?"

"I can't talk for long but I'm assuming you're still with the Hardys?"

"Yes, I can put you on speaker so they can hear, too." He placed his phone on the coffee table and hit the speaker button. Fenton shifted on the couch while Joe went to get his mother, returning with her seconds later. "Okay, we're all here. What's going on?"

"James just called. They're on their way back…with Nancy and Frank."

"Oh, thank god!" whispered Laura, holding her necklace nervously. "Can we talk to them when they get there?"

"I'm not sure. James didn't tell me very much."

"Well, are they all right?" Fenton asked eagerly.

"Again, not sure. James just requested a first aid kit but I think I heard him say something about someone being shot. That's all I know."

They heard a door bang open over the phone, Laura jumping in fright. The four heard a voice they hadn't heard in months yelling out for Amelia to help then a woman yelling. Carson held his breath, hearing Nancy's voice.

"My god!" cried Amelia. "I have to go! I'll call you again soon!"

"No wait! Amelia, don't go!" yelled Carson, standing up. They heard Amelia drop the phone with a loud clunk and the sound of people moving about came over the speaker. He looked at the Hardys who were sitting at the edge of the couch waiting. Accidentally, Amelia must not have ended the call so they were hearing everything that was going on thousands of miles away. What they didn't realize was what was going to come next.

* * *

"Who got shot?" Amelia asked as the men rushed in, looking at each one of them. None of the people who rushed in the door seemed to be bleeding profusely except for one who looked like he had a graze on his arm.

"That was Turner," James replied quickly. "But don't worry about him now."

"What do you mean 'don't worry about him?'" she cried

"There's nothing you can do for him now! He bled out in the van!" James yelled. He had a hold of Nancy who was trying to get away from him as he helped her into the room. He yelped when she slammed her foot into his. "I need you to take care of them first."

"I told you to let me go!" Nancy cried out. She stormed into the living room, James and Colin following behind. After being rescued, Nancy woke up in the car almost kicking the crap out of Colin when he tried helping her out of the van. She was feeling disoriented and wanted nothing more than to be left alone. "I can take care of myself, James!"

"Just let Amelia take a look at it, that's all," James replied soothingly, almost pleadingly.

"No! I'm fine!" she cried, plopping herself down on the couch. She held her wrist gently but kept it away from James' prying hands. "I don't want anyone to touch me! Especially you!"

"She's stubborn, isn't she?" replied Drew said to Frank. He was holding him up just inside the door. Frank looked pale, having a hard time standing up. The shirt he wore was covered in sweat and blood.

"You have no idea," muttered Frank, rolling his eyes. He thought he heard a squeak nearby but wasn't sure where it came from. He sat down at the table, seeing Amelia's phone on but didn't register it, his eyes almost glazing over.

"I told you, I'm fine!" screamed Nancy. James suddenly grabbed a hold of her and pulled her to the ground as gently as he could. "Ow!"

"Sorry but we have to do this!" cried James, holding down her shoulders and good arm. When Colin joined in to hold down her legs, she started kicking him again to get away.

"Damn, she's strong!" he muttered. Amelia moved in and began poking at her wrist as Nancy was trying to pull away from her. She screamed as the woman prodded the swollen area.

"Drew! We need some help here!" yelled James. His voice was strained as he struggled to keep Nancy down on the ground. "You have to let us help you, Nancy!"

"NO! I don't need your help, James!" Nancy screamed in anger and pain, trying to get up but the men continued to push her down. "Get off of me!"

"You good?" replied Drew, looking down at a wavering Frank.

"Yup," Frank replied, groggily. He gave Drew a thumbs up as he rushed into the room to help James, Colin, and Amelia. Laughing a little as he watched the spectacle of three grown men struggle with a barely 125 pound young woman, Frank set his head down on the table and closed his eyes.

"Hold her down!" Amelia yelled over Nancy's protests.

"What do you think we're trying to do here, lady?" Colin yelled back, as he was kneed in the face by Nancy.

"I need to find the bone so hold her still!" Amelia ordered, prodding some more while Nancy screamed loudly. "Got it! Get something to put in her mouth so she doesn't bite her tongue."

James nodded his head to the bathroom and Drew left, returning with a dry wash cloth. He rolled it up and put it in her mouth, muffling her screams. Tears rolled down Nancy's face as she watched Amelia hold on to her wrist, pain shooting through her body. She shook her head in protest, still trying to get up only to be pushed back down again. Amelia tried to calm her down by pushing her hair away from her face and shushing her. Nancy heard her calming voice talk to her.

"Honey, this is only going to hurt for a moment. I'm going to count to three. Okay? One…two..." Amelia twisted the wrist again, a loud crack ripping through the room as the bone was reset. Nancy screamed through her gag, sobbing through the pain and still struggling with James, Colin, and Drew. They felt her body relax a bit as she passed out once more from the pain. James pulled the cloth from her mouth as Amelia began splinting Nancy's wrist and wrapping it gently.

"Is she going to be okay?" asked James calmly, his chest heaving from exertion.

"What about us?" complained Colin. "I've never had that much trouble holding down someone. She could give thugs a run for their money. I think she even gave me a black eye!"

"She'll be fine but she's going to need an x-ray," Amelia stated, keeping her eyes on what she was doing. "With all her squirming, I'm not sure it was set properly."

When the woman was done, James picked Nancy up off the floor and laid her on the couch. She settled in as he placed a blanket over her and kissed her forehead.

Amelia looked over at the kitchen table, her face going white. She saw Frank sitting at the table, his head resting in the crook of his arm. Exchanging looks with James, the two scrambled over to Frank, trying to nudge him.

"Frank?" Amelia said. She looked up at James, angrily. "I thought you said he was fine!"

"He told us he was!" he spat back. "He was more worried about her than himself!"

Amelia said Frank's name again but stopped when she saw her phone sitting on the table and gasped. Her eyes widened as she saw Carson Drew's number still illuminated, the call never ended. Amelia put her finger to her lips to quiet the others as she picked up the phone. She motioned for them to get Frank to the bedroom as she took care of what she knew was going to be an awkward conversation.

* * *

Carson left the room quickly, not wanting to hear anymore. He headed for the bathroom and just made it before he threw up in the toilet. When he was done, he sat on the floor, sobbing for the pain he heard his daughter go through.

The living room was quiet as Laura cried next to Fenton, both listening intently once the screaming was over and the people on the other line spoke quietly. Joe sat in shock. He wanted nothing more than to be there for his friend with everything she just went through. Hell, he wanted to be there for his brother. Frank sounded strange, almost tired which worried Joe even more.

They heard Amelia call Frank's name and the short outburst between her and James a moment later. The phone got quiet, quickly though. Someone picked up the phone but they still heard rustling as a chair was moved across the floor.

"Are you still there?" asked Amelia.

"WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS GOING ON THERE?" yelled Fenton. "What is wrong with my son?"

"I did not intend for you to hear all that but I really have to go now," she said quickly. "I will call back later. I promise."

The phone went dead before Fenton could protest. He looked at Joe, seeing the worry in his younger son's eyes. It didn't sound good that they couldn't wake Frank. He realized that his son was sitting just inches away from the phone and Fenton could have talked to him. If only he had said something. All they could do now was wait again for Amelia to call back with news.

* * *

"What was that?" asked James. Colin came up behind him after helping Drew get Frank into the bedroom nearby. Amelia turned off her phone and whirled around, tears in her eyes.

"I think they heard the whole thing," she sniffled.

"Who's they?" Colin asked.

"Their families," Amelia said quietly, cradling on to her phone.

"That was Carson on the phone?" cried James walking over to her. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I had to! They were worried sick! Carson and Fenton were on their way to Paris to look for their children!" Amelia cried. "Kyla told me and I warned them not to come! It was to protect them. It's what Frank wanted anyway!"

"Okay," replied Colin. "Let's just get Frank checked out to make sure he's fine. Drew is with him now. James, you can scream at her later although I agree it was a good choice for her to contact them."

"You would agree," James said, angrily. He followed the others into the other room.

Amelia rushed over to the bed just as Drew was getting Frank's shirt off. She saw the bandages that were now a mixture of colors from the bleeding and other excretions. Feeling his forehead, Amelia gasped. She ordered Drew to get water, soap, cloths, and clean bandages as she began pouring over Frank.

"You should have never believed him when Frank said he was fine, James," Amelia replied, peeling the bandages off. Drew rushed back with what she requested and left the room with Colin.

"I didn't know," James said, quietly. "I honestly didn't know."

"Good lord, what did they do to him?" Amelia asked to no one, looking at the wounds. "James, I need you to leave, please. I can handle it."

A half hour later, all three men sat at the table, drinking coffee and waiting for Amelia. The sadness over the loss of their friend was finally settling in and none of them wanted to talk about what to do with Turner's body. Amelia came out finally, drying her hands and looking grim. She looked over at Nancy still asleep on the couch and sighed.

"We need to get them both to a doctor," she said sadly. "And fast. I may be a doctor but I'm not a medical doctor. The only reason why I knew to set Nancy's bone was because I did it before while hiking. I just can't help Frank any more than you three can. If we can find some antibiotics, then maybe we can stop the infection that's settling in but other than that, we need help."

Out of the three men sitting at the table, Drew felt the most guilty, listening to what Amelia said. He and Turner were the ones who got Frank out and the man kept insisting on having Nancy taken care of first. If only Drew had gone with his gut instinct and forced Amelia to take care of Frank instead. As they were heading away from Paris, Drew had grown to like him, listening to stories of his brother and their adventures before everything happened in Chicago months before. It sounded like Frank really loved his brother and missed him immensely. Drew was really just trying to keep Frank awake during the trip but the stories were great to listen to. When Nancy woke up in the van, she was a little angry when she saw James, trying to lash out but stopped when her wrist began to hurt. Drew noticed Nancy and Frank seemed close but not that close. There was a slight tension that neither of them wanted to address.

Thinking of an idea, Drew rose quickly from the table and went outside to make a phone call. He wanted to do something, thinking of Turner. His friend, still lying on the floor of the van, died moments after they drove away from Powers' building from the bullet that ripped through his chest. Drew felt bad for the man's family, his young son barely knowing him. He wanted to make up for it and vowed to make Powers pay for what he did to Turner along with Nancy and Frank. Only a coward broke a woman's bone over money. It was despicable. He dialed a number and spoke with someone for a few minutes before returning to the house to tell the others of his idea.

"Danke, Bianca," Drew said as he entered the kitchen. The others looked over at him strangely. "I owe you one."

"What was that all about?" asked Colin, as Drew put his phone down.

"I have an idea but it's going to take a trip," Drew said excitedly.

"What's your idea?" Amelia asked.

"And what kind of trip are we talking about?" James said, narrowing his eyes.

"I have a friend who runs a facility," Drew stated, sitting down at the table. "She has agreed to help us out but there are two problems."

"Okay…" James said.

"One is the trip. It's seven hours away outside Zurich." Amelia inhaled and held her breath. She didn't know if Frank would last that long without antibiotics. It would be quicker to take the train but it was out of the question since they would be more exposed and less likely to get away if Powers caught up to them. "The other is a little more complicated."

"How's that?" Colin asked, rolling his eyes. "It's an asylum?"

"No, worse." Drew got quiet thinking about the words he was about to say. "It's a joint US military and CIA run facility. The moment we step in, someone's going to know we're there."


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

"Are you insane?" cried Amelia. Out of all of them, she knew Nancy and Frank the best. Neither one of them would want that kind of exposure. "Do you want them sent home or worse, for Powers to find them again?"

"Bianca is not going to report it just yet," Drew stated. "I told her the predicament but not the names. She doesn't know exactly who is coming. Besides, she has up to a week after we arrive before she has to send in a report as to who is in the hospital."

"That's not much time," Amelia thought. "What if we don't have a choice but to stay?"

"We'll come to that obstacle when it arrives." Drew looked at each one of them. They knew he was trying to help but they weren't sure if it was worth the effort. "Think about it, though. Powers is going to be searching the hospitals in the area and around the country, hell the continent, looking for us. This hospital is armed to the teeth and protected at all times. Even if Powers is able to find us there, he'd have to get through the US military. This is the perfect place for us to go."

"But it's too far," James said. "We would have to go past Paris just to get there and our van sticks out like a sore thumb with bullet holes in the side."

"Why don't we split up?" Colin suggested. "I could take the van north to where Turner's family is. If someone is searching for it specifically, then they'd go after me. You guys would just have to get another van for transport."

"But that's too dangerous," Amelia replied, concerned. "You could be caught and killed before getting very far. What about Turner's family? Or yours?"

"I am thinking about them," Colin stated sternly. "Turner needs to be taken home. His family deserves that much. I can call you once I get there and eventually meet you wherever you go after I see my own family to safety."

"It's a good idea but where are we going to get a van at this hour?" Drew asked. The four of them thought for a few moments when James shot up and rushed out the door to the tavern part of the safe house. He returned later with a grumpy looking man, rubbing his eyes.

"This is Pierre," James announced. "He owns the tavern next door and is a good friend of mine. He may have a van for us or be able to find one in the next hour. Let's get moving and be gone by three."

The five of them moved about gathering items and making sure nothing was left behind. Pierre and James left with a large duffle bag to go find a large van or SUV they could use. Over an hour later, they were back, James carrying a set of keys and a doctor's bag but no duffle.

"How'd you get a van so fast?" asked Drew. Amelia and Drew were sitting at the table and turned to him as he entered. James handed Amelia the bag.

"Pierre's brother-in-law let us buy one off of him. Are we ready?" he asked, looking around. "Where's Colin?"

"He left five minutes ago," Drew said. "He said wanted to leave to get to Turner's family and then rush home himself."

"Where did you get these?" Amelia cried, looking in the bag.

"Don't ask. We have to go now though." James went into the bedroom to get Frank, with Drew following behind him. Pierre stayed in the kitchen until he saw the two struggling with the 6ft 1in frame they were carrying. He rushed over to help them while Amelia held the door open then went out to the brand new Land Rover sitting in the driveway. She got in and started moving the seats around to help them get Frank into the back. After ten minutes of struggling and sweating they finally got him settled on the third row seat and went inside the house for Nancy. Taking pillows and blankets with them, James and Amelia made sure the two were both comfortable and secure. More than thirty minutes later, they were finally all in the car with everything they needed from the house. After saying goodbye to Pierre, the group was finally on their way, moving south to avoid Paris while Amelia searched the doctor bag James gave her. She took care of Frank and checked on Nancy beside her before settling herself down and falling asleep in her own seat, listening to James and Drew talk from the front seat.

* * *

"Are you going to call their families?" Drew asked two hours later, keeping his eyes on the road. "I think they should know what's going on."

"That was Amelia, not me," James stated. He crossed his arms in front of him and looked out the window. "I don't think they would appreciate hearing my voice anyway."

"You never know," Drew said, sagely. "Coming from you, it may sound better anyway knowing that you were the one who rescued their kids."

"Okay, fine, but don't say I didn't warn you." James turned around and saw Amelia sleeping. He rummaged through her purse, finally finding her phone and redialed Carson's cell number.

Noticing the time on the phone, James didn't think Carson would answer thousands of miles away as it was still the middle of the night in New York. Sure enough, the phone rang several times and James was about to hang up when a groggy voice answered.

"Hello?" James didn't say anything, wondering if he dialed the correct number. The person replied again, more awake and irritated at being woken up. "Hello?"

"Carson?" James finally said.

"Who is this?"

"James."

"You son of a...! You have a lot of nerve calling me!" James heard someone else talking in the background and a little bit of struggle with the phone before someone talked again. "I got it, Fenton! What the hell do you want, James?"

"I guess I deserve that," James replied, sadly. He heard Carson mutter something incoherently before he continued. "How many times do I have to tell people that I'm sorry? I already got it from Frank earlier and it's a good thing I wasn't in the way when Nancy woke up before."

"What is going on there?" Carson asked impatiently. He didn't like the man talking about his daughter and wished he could punch him in the face. "Did you hurt her? I swear…"

"I didn't hurt her and you know it, Carson," James interrupted. "I would never do such a thing! Like Amelia told you earlier, it was unfortunate that you heard everything. We had to hold her down to reset her wrist. I'm not sure how it actually happened just that Frank said Powers did it on purpose. Her screaming was inevitable since we had nothing to give her to calm down. She passed out once Amelia did it and has been out ever since. I assure you, she's fine other than that."

 _"What about my son?"_ James heard someone yell over the phone. He assumed it was Fenton Hardy, who sounded like he was getting anxious.

"Calm down, Fenton," Carson said calmly. His tone changed when he started talking to James again. "What's going on with Frank?"

"We are taking care of it," James assured him. "They will be in good hands."

"That's not answering the question, James," Carson said gruffly. "I don't think I can hold Fenton back much longer and he won't be as 'pleasant' as I am over the phone."

"I can't. Not right now because even I don't know how to explain it." He stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. James turned around to see Amelia looking at him, concerned. She nodded her head to where Nancy lay. Even in the early morning light, he saw the young woman staring at him, tears in her eyes. Nancy tried to get up from the reclined seat and looked over at Frank lying on the back seat. She looked back at James with determination, reaching out her hand for the phone and he reluctantly handed it over to her. Though he was still driving, Drew watched the whole transaction, meeting eyes with James. They could hear Carson yelling on the other side of the line as Nancy put the phone to her ear.

"Dad?" she said so softly he almost didn't hear her over the rumbling of the car. Carson stopped yelling the moment he heard her voice, taking a breath in. She heard Fenton Hardy in the background ask if he was okay. Hearing a sob on the line, Nancy continued knowing she got his attention. "I need you to trust what James told you. He saved our lives."

"Oh, god, I miss you so much!" Carson said quietly. "Where is Frank, honey?"

"I know, Dad. He's here but asleep," she said quietly. "We'll be fine, don't worry. I have to go now."

"Oh, please don't," Carson pleaded but he knew she needed to go.

"I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, baby."

"We'll see each other soon. I promise you that," she assured him though he didn't know exactly how long she meant. Nancy ended the call and handed the phone back to Amelia who was crying nearby. James turned around to face the front, not knowing what to say.

"James?" He turned around to look at her, Nancy's face serene. "Thank you."

* * *

 _Joe walked along a busy street, going nowhere in particular. He saw the Eiffel Tower in the distance and heard someone calling his name. He turned to look at the outdoor café, seeing his brother wave to him with a smile. Joe smiled and waved back, weaving his way to where Frank was sitting. The table was spread with food and Joe dived in, eating everything he saw._

 _"You haven't changed a bit, have you?" laughed Frank. Joe looked over at Frank wondering what he meant. They were in Paris on a case but he was acting like he hadn't seen Joe in months. Laughing it off, Joe continued eating while Frank sat watching his younger brother in awe. They talked about the case they were working on then other things that came to mind. The sky never changed and neither did the weather as the two seemingly sat for hours talking._

 _"Are you ready to go find the smuggler, Frank?" Joe asked, placing his napkin on the table._

 _"There is no smuggler, Joe," the older Hardy said vaguely, the smile never wavering. "In fact, we're not really in Paris. You just dreamed us here."_

 _"What?" Joe looked around. It was the same he remembered the last time he was in Paris right down to the café they were at. "I don't understand."_

 _"You will," Frank smiled, taking a sip of water. Joe really looked at his brother and noticed subtle differences he didn't see before. Frank's face was gaunt, almost sick looking but he wore the same clothes Joe remembered he had on at the house in Chicago: the designer jacket, shirt, and jeans. Memories hit Joe like a ton of bricks as reality settled in._

 _"What's going on here?" Joe asked. "Am I on Candid Camera or something? Are you punking me?"_

 _"No, Joe," Frank said. "Just 'visiting.'"_

 _They heard a familiar laugh nearby and Joe looked over to see Nancy sitting with Amelia. The two women were laughing at something, maybe a story she told. She didn't even notice them sitting feet away from their table._

 _"Why isn't Nancy with us?" he asked, looking back at Frank._

 _"Because she isn't 'with' us at the moment," Frank replied. "It's just you and me. I wanted to tell you something."_

 _"Am I going crazy?"_

 _"No, perfectly sane. Well, almost." Frank laughed._

 _"Am I dead? Are you dead?"_

 _"No on both counts, Joe," Frank laughed again, shaking his head. "You're still at home, sleeping on the floor of the living room while I'm sleeping in a car thousands of miles away."_

 _"How is this possible?"_

 _"You'll understand later. I just wanted to tell you we'll be okay. You need to have faith and tell Mom and Dad too." Frank looked over at Nancy, her smile infectious. Joe followed his gaze and saw Nancy's wrist wrapped in a bandage, something he didn't see before. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"_

 _Joe looked back at Frank and saw peacefulness in his brother's eyes. Almost as if he were reminiscing of what could have been or what could be._

 _"You haven't told her yet, have you?" he asked. Over the years, Joe always knew when Frank had things on his mind that consumed him. One of them was always Nancy. Every time they were together, they clicked. They thought as one. They seemed to fight as one. "Dude, for a smart person, you sure can be dense."_

 _"I am not!" Frank defended. "I just haven't had the chance to tell her. We've been fighting so much lately that it keeps slipping my mind. But when we're apart, I think of nothing but her."_

 _"Oh, you got it bad," Joe laughed. Frank looked at him funny and laughed with him._

 _"Yeah, I guess I do." Frank gazed back at Nancy and smiled again. Joe knew Frank wanted to tell her but something was holding him back. The older Hardy sighed and looked down at the table. "I have to go, Joe."_

 _"What, why?" Joe grabbed a hold of Frank's arm as his brother stood up._

 _"We'll see each other soon. I promise you that," Frank said. "Thanks for the conversation. I have a few things to think about. Just remember what I said."_

 _He left before Joe could say anything more, walking across the street and disappearing into the crowd. Not fully understanding what Frank meant, Joe rose from the table and tried walking over to where Nancy and Amelia sat. Neither one of them noticed him, the scene suddenly stopped and dissolved to nothing._

* * *

Joe woke up on the floor with a start. He remembered everything but the understanding wasn't there yet.

"Woah," he said, rubbing his face.

"Everything okay?" his father asked him. He and Carson were sitting on the couch, chatting when Joe woke up suddenly, startling them.

"Yeah...I think," Joe said looking around him. He was at home, just as Frank said in his dream. But how did he know? Fenton looked down at him, concerned but didn't press him right away. "That was some dream."

"Yeah, we had some excitement too," Carson said with a small smile. Joe looked from Carson to his dad and had a feeling someone called again. "I talked to James...and Nancy."

"Really?" Joe asked. Fenton kneeled down and helped Joe up from the floor. Carson smiled again but he still seemed very sad. "Are they okay?"

"In a sense, yes," he answered. "They were on their way to someplace but they couldn't say exactly where."

"' _I'm sleeping in a car thousands of miles away_ ,'" Joe said to himself. He thought of the dream again as Carson and Fenton exchanged looks.

"What are you talking about?" Fenton asked, looking at his son. He saw something in Joe's eyes that sent goosebumps through his body.

"Oh, my gosh, Dad!" Joe said excitedly, suddenly realizing what his brother was telling him. "Frank! He's going to be fine! Whatever we heard over the phone, it's a hick-up, a bump in the road for them. He was talking to me because he knew he'd be okay in the end!"

"I'm confused," Carson stated. He looked from Fenton to Joe and back again, wondering what Joe was trying to get at.

"He said he was 'visiting.' We were in Paris on a case and it changed." Joe was rambling while Fenton tried to understand what his younger son was saying. When Joe went to explain the whole dream, Fenton finally understood. "He said 'We'll see each other soon. I promise you that.'"

"That's exactly what Nancy said on the phone," Carson said, his hand running across his face. "How did you know that?"

Fenton grabbed a hold of Joe and pulled him into a hug. The two shared a moment that they normally didn't have and stood there for several minutes.

"Have faith, Dad."


	10. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:**

 **Thanks to Cherylann Rivers and max2013 who have been reviewing my stories ever since the first one! I love hearing what you have to say and appreciate it immensely! Enjoy and don't forget to review!**

Chapter Nine

Drew pulled up to the facility's main gate over five hours later. They had to stop several times along with the way for pit stops and food runs but one stop they made scared them to death. Just after the phone call to Carson, Frank stopped breathing when Amelia checked on him. Drew had to pull over in order to allow Amelia to get him breathing again while Nancy watched helplessly next to her. When they knew Frank was okay, they resumed their journey, Drew quickening the pace after the half hour of time lost.

The guard at the gate, checked their IDs and called the head of the facility to ensure that they were expected. Once the credentials were accepted, the guard pointed in the direction Drew was supposed to go to in order to meet his friend. A side entrance was where they were headed, being met by a woman in a white lab coat, a nurse, and two orderlies. Once the Land Rover stopped, they all converged on the vehicle, Amelia opening the door to let them in. She walked around the SUV to Nancy's door and gently woke her up once more. James rushed around to help her out while the nurse took over to guide her inside.

"Drew, so good to see you!" the woman cried in a German accent.

"You too, Bianca!" he replied, giving her a peck on each cheek. "Thank you for helping us out. I owe you big time."

Nancy was walking by with the nurse and still wrapped in the blanket when Bianca stopped her to look at her wrist. She looked at her face as well, which made Nancy feel a little uncomfortable. Bianca gave Drew a look that he knew he wouldn't like later.

"You have a lot to explain, Drew," she said when the nurse guided Nancy the rest of the way to the hospital. They watched the orderlies and James get Frank slowly out of the back seat of the SUV. "She looks fine considering but what of the other one?"

"Frank passed out in Versailles, like I told you," Drew stated. "We haven't been able to wake him since. Amelia gave him some antibiotics but we are not sure if they helped or not. About four hours ago, he stopped breathing but he's fine now."

"Okay, we will take it from here," she said quickly. "Move the vehicle to the parking garage nearby and my staff will guide you to the room where you'll be. Not many of my staff know that you are here and I would like to keep it that way for the time being. You need to stay where I tell you to stay. I have them together in the same room for less exposure and the wing is currently closed. You will be safe there for a while. Drew, you need to come with me."

Drew handed the keys to James and followed Bianca inside. James along with Amelia drove the Land Rover to what turned out to be an underground parking facility. One of the orderlies was waiting for them to guide them upstairs to the closed wing.

"What are you doing, Drew?" screeched Bianca, walking into the building.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Do you realize what kind of situation you have put me in?" Bianca cried. She was keeping up with the orderlies who were wheeling Frank down the hall. Drew could see Nancy further up with the nurse. "Bringing those two here is dangerous, on both sides!"

"You know who they are?" Drew asked, stopping her.

"Of course I do! Their pictures are plastered everywhere by both friend and foe alike! William Powers is a very powerful and influential man who has put a bounty out for the recovery of those two! I have both my boss and the FBI breathing down my neck for anything that may come up about them. What is going on?"

"We rescued them from Powers in Paris a few days ago," Drew stated. He was mad that word spread so fast and far and didn't know how long they would be able to stay there. "We didn't have a choice but to come here. We couldn't go to a hospital or clinic. We needed a safe place."

"Well, this place is safe but for how long, I don't know." Bianca started walking again to catch up to the orderlies. "The people you see here are the only ones I truly trust in this building. If anyone else outside this wing find out they're here, it will be my ass on the line! For the past few months, several operatives have ended up dead and my superiors believe it was someone from my facility who told Powers who these operatives were. Your safety is only guaranteed if you stay out of sight! Now, I need to go and help your friends before it is too late."

Drew watched her rush down the hall and round a corner. He felt bad putting one of his closest friends in jeopardy but he knew it was the only way to help out Nancy and Frank. Winding his way through the halls, he finally came across the room where Amelia and James waited patiently.

"Is everything okay?" asked Amelia as he entered the room. Drew shook his head, sadly.

"We may have put ourselves into a predicament that none of us could have foreseen," he said, grimly. He explained the conversation he had with Bianca moments before, both James and Amelia upset over the whole ordeal. "Once we know we can move Frank, I say we should go. That way we will have no chance of getting exposed."

"I agree," James nodded his head. "We can take care of him and Nancy somewhere safer and less under a microscope."

Amelia nodded and yawned. James urged her to go lie down on one of the empty beds in the room. She followed his order and soon fell asleep. It only felt like seconds to her when Amelia felt a tapping on her shoulder over an hour later. She opened her eyes to see James trying to wake her up.

"Come on, the doctor has news," he said quietly. Amelia followed him down the hall to where Drew was quietly speaking with Bianca in another room.

"What's the story?" Amelia asked immediately, rubbing her eyes awake.

"First, your friend Nancy," Bianca began. "Her wrist was badly broken, as you already know. Although I applaud you, Amelia, for originally helping, there was a second fracture and unfortunately the bone needed to be reset again to make sure it healed properly. It was not too serious but we had to sedate her in order to do it. She will be out until at least sometime tomorrow but we made her as comfortable as possible with a new wrist cast. As for your other friend, Frank." Bianca sighed before continuing. "I wish he was here earlier or whoever had him before, cleaned him up better. The wounds are very badly infected after hours of exposure to the elements. He has an extremely high fever but we are giving him ample antibiotics to attack the infection. We won't know much more until the fever breaks. I'm afraid he can't be moved for at least two weeks, if not more unless his fever is gone and he wakes up."

"Two or more weeks?" cried James. "What are we going to do? We can't stay here that long!"

"I understand that and believe me, I don't want you here that long either," Bianca stated. "But unless you want him to die while out on the road, he needs to stay here to be monitored 24/7. If you hadn't cleaned the wound before leaving Versailles or given him antibiotics, we would be talking about a corpse right now, not a living person. Be thankful for that. He's lucky to have you all here."

"But what of your report?" Drew asked. "You said you have to turn one in within a week."

"Yes, but there are ways to get around it," Bianca said. "I can fudge the records and turn in a false report or not say you're here at all. Either way, my career here is over once my superiors find out."

"I'm sorry," Drew said sadly. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"No worries, Drew," Bianca smiled, cupping her hand on his face. "It was inevitable anyway. There is a doctor who's been eyeing my job since the moment he got here. I'm sure he will be the one to figure everything out. When the time comes, we will deal with it accordingly." She looked at her watch. "Well, Frank and Nancy should be back by now and settled. Follow me."

She gave them her cell number as well and guided them back to the large room that was now occupied by two more beds. Bianca went into the room to check on her patients. The first bed Nancy slept, her broken wrist draped across her chest. She looked angelic, her strawberry blond hair framing her face and her eyes closed. She breathed slowly, in a deep sleep, the pain seemingly at ease for her. When they rounded the curtain separating the beds, they were startled to see Frank. He was attached to a heart monitor, slowly beeping and an oxygen tube was in his nose. Fresh bandages stretched across his bare chest as it moved up and down from his now steady breathing.

"I know this has already been said, but do you have any idea when he'll wake up?" Amelia asked.

"No, it could be days or weeks," Bianca replied. "He's under good care and I will do everything I can to help. I have to get back to the rest of the facility but I'll make sure you are all taken care of."

She walked out of the room, leaving them all to watch their friends. Soon, Amelia went back to sleep in the bed across the room. James and Drew followed suit and all three slumbered into the night.

* * *

The orderly watched Dr. Bianca walk out of the closed wing. She ordered two military officers to stand guard at the doors which made him wonder as to who was in there. He saw the silver Land Rover arrive and expected it to come to the front door but it went to the side door where the closed wing was. The orderly did his best to watch from a distance who exited the car only to see snippets of the car's occupants and not their faces. Knowing the secrecy surrounding the car, the orderly went to Dr. Hillman Boggs and reported it to him as he requested when secrecy arose. The doctor was very interested in the wing and ordered the orderly to see if he could enter to investigate but soon realized Dr. Bianca was way ahead of them. She somehow knew there was a leak within the hospital and told the guards that no one was allowed to enter the wing without her express permission. He reported back to the doctor that he couldn't get in and though Boggs was angry, he didn't take it out on the orderly.

The doctor dismissed the orderly and picked up the phone to his contact in Paris. He relayed a message to him about the Land Rover and the undisclosed people arriving at the hospital unexpectedly. His contact was very excited and offered a bonus for giving him the information with the promise of more for confirmation.

* * *

"It's been two days since they were taken out from under our noses!" yelled Powers from behind his desk. Two men stood in front of him while they were flanked by Nathan and Anna. Both men cringed at the shrillness of Powers' angry voice. "Why haven't they been found? This is unacceptable!"

"Sir, we have all of our resources searching the hospitals and clinics around Europe," replied one of the men, "but it's as if they dropped off the radar again!"

"I don't want excuses!" Powers screamed. "I want results!"

Nathan's phone suddenly rang out with Powers giving him an annoyed look for interrupting him. He screamed some more at the two men before throwing them out of his office, ordering them not to come back unless Nancy and Frank were found. By then Nathan's phone call was over and a smile was etched on the man's face.

"Please tell me you have good news," Powers said, looking at his second-in-command.

"We may have a lead, sir," Nathan announced, smiling. "One of our operatives has reported a discrepancy at a secret US military and CIA installation outside of Zurich. A silver Land Rover arrived earlier today with five occupants. Although they could not get confirmation as to who they were, an orderly noticed at least one of them was a patient. A person was carried in. We are not sure if it is them though as the wing they are in is suddenly closed and under guard."

"Although I have a feeling this is who we're looking for, we need confirmation," Powers thought. "I don't want to attack a US installation without warrant since it would bring too much attention to us. Wait a few days to see if the operative returns and gives us word. If not, we will send someone in who can search the place without having any issues."


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Carson stepped into his house with a new found sense of peace. Hearing Nancy's voice on the phone and knowing that she was okay made him feel better than when he left a few days before. His visit to the Hardys was nice but he was thankful to be home. They all made plans to get together again once a month to catch up with them coming to him the following month.

Walking through the house, there was the smell of one of Hannah's freshly baked pies wafting throughout. When he approached the kitchen, Carson saw her standing at the sink, washing dishes. Hannah was elated to see him and rushed over to greet him. They hugged for a few moments before breaking apart.

Leaving Hannah in the kitchen after a long conversation about his trip and hearing from Nancy, Carson went to his home office to find his desk cluttered just as before. Piles of mail, files, and messages lay across the top of the desk, waiting to be looked through but he still smiled through all the mess. He was home and his daughter was safe.

* * *

A day after arriving at the facility, Nancy was sitting in her bed, eating sausages and vegetables. She woke up an hour before, first asking how Frank was but Amelia didn't tell her much, just saying he was fine. Nancy frowned, the heart monitor beeping next to her. Hearing her stomach rumbled loudly, she asked for some food and the nurse soon acquiesced to her request. James and Drew came by after being down the hall in what they found to be a game room, not knowing that she was awake. Nancy sat eating and listening to them talk about what their next plan of action was. She couldn't cut the sausage so she just stabbed it and took bites off. James looked over and laughed at her.

"What?" Nancy asked innocently in between bites. "How else am I supposed to eat it if I can't use my other hand?"

"It's called asking for help," James smiled, leaning over and cutting up her sausage. "You should try it sometime."

"Thanks," she said quietly, pouting a little. Amelia hid her smile behind her hand, knowing Nancy hated feeling helpless.

"Where are we to go from here?" asked Drew. "Can we return to Versailles?"

"I don't want to take the chance," James thought. "Besides, we hindered Pierre enough. He also said someone was asking questions in the tavern last night. Somehow, someone knew we were there at one point."

"What about asking Kyla for help?" Nancy asked, popping a piece of sausage into her mouth. The others looked at her in shock that she suggested it. "Maybe she can find us a house to buy or rent. One big enough for all of us but small enough to not raise suspicion and a way for it to be protected, maybe on an island or something."

"That's actually a good idea, Nancy," James smiled.

"Though I'm surprised you would even suggest her," Amelia stated, raising her eyebrow. Nancy gave her a funny look. "I thought you didn't like her."

"I never said I didn't like her," Nancy scrunching up her face. "I would just get so mad at Frank because he kept boasting about her all the time. It was rather annoying and I thought maybe he liked her or something."

Amelia gave a small laugh while Drew and James sat, staring around them, trying to ignore the awkward conversation.

"Dear, he did that on purpose to make you jealous," she stated softly, patting her leg. Nancy's mouth dropped open, shock and anger on her face, the food momentarily forgotten. "I've seen Kyla and, believe me, she's not his type."

Nancy looked over at the curtain blocking her view of Frank.

"I'm going to kill him," she muttered. Amelia laughed again while James cleared his throat.

"I'll get in contact with Kyla," he stated, rising from the chair. "Drew, you coming?"

"Uh, yeah." The man followed James nervously out the door, the two women hearing him say something before closing the door. "Wouldn't want to be in Frank's shoes when he wakes up."

"You shouldn't be so hard on him," Amelia said.

"Why's that? He kept me out of the loop the past few weeks," Nancy grumbled. "How else should I feel?"

"He did it for you but I don't understand myself as to why he kept things from you. Just let him heal, then talk to him, dear," Amelia smiled warmly. She noticed Nancy was finished with her plate, having eaten everything and gathered it together to take to the nurse. "Do you need anything else?"

"Something to do while I wait," Nancy said quietly, looking over at the curtain.

"Of course. I'll be right back." Amelia walked off leaving Nancy behind. When she knew the woman was gone, Nancy flipped the bed covers off her and stepped down onto the cold floor. Grabbing her IV pole, Nancy walked slowly around the curtain, keeping her wrist close to her body. Her feet padded softly on the linoleum floor as she reached the end of the curtain. Pulling it back just a bit, Nancy's heart sank when she saw her friend lying on the bed. It scared her to see Frank, usually so strong and bold, look weak and helpless.

Taking her IV pole and moving forward, she sat in the empty chair next to Frank. When she spoke his name softly, his heart beat rose slightly and she knew he could hear her. Nancy began talking, saying she was mad at him for making her jealous. She told about talking to her father and that his family was worried about him. All the while she was having the one-sided conversation, Nancy never noticed Amelia standing nearby, a kind smile etched on her kind face. The woman put the books she had down onto Nancy's bed and walked out of the room leaving her to talk to Frank in private.

* * *

Joe sat at the kitchen table, contemplating how he was going to tell his parents what he decided. After the events unfolded in Paris the week before and his dreams, Joe knew what he had to do. He needed to move on and, though his parents may not like it, Joe felt it was time.

"What's on your mind?" Fenton asked from across the table. Their dinner sat in front of them, Joe picking at his food.

"I've been thinking," he answered slowly. Joe looked up at his parents' faces, both of whom stopped eating to listen intently. "I think it's time for me to move out."

Laura gasped while Fenton set his fork on the table and folded his hands in front of him in thought. He saw the struggle going on but also saw determination in Joe's face.

"But why?" Laura pleaded. Unlike Fenton, she was already against it, not wanting to lose her other baby. "You know you are welcome to live here as long as you like."

"I know that, Mom," Joe said, glancing at her. Tears began welling up in her eyes and took her hand, squeezing it gently. "I'm ready to go. I need to move on. We all need to move on. I've been thinking about it for days ever since I had the dream. Believe me, I would love to stay here but doing so would hinder any kind of future that I may want. I'm not saying I to want to leave now but within a year is what I'm thinking. I want to save my money and do it right. All I want is your support and help, plus still continue working with you, Dad."

The room got quiet as Fenton thought about the decision. He knew Joe was right that it was time for him to move on and he respected that. Fenton just didn't think it would be so soon.

"I support you, son," Fenton said quietly. He clapped his hand on Joe's shoulder and squeezed it in approval of the decision. "One year?"

"One year."

* * *

A little over a week passed and there was still no word from Kyla about a place for them to go. James was getting worried that they wouldn't have anything when the time came but Amelia had faith that the young girl would come through for them. Colin finally got a hold of them, saying he was safe with his family and to call him if they needed him. Frank was still out but he was looking better than before, his fever still present though lower. Nancy rarely left his side except to sleep and shower, choosing to eat with him. She was also finally able get out of the hospital gown and into real clothes, making her a little more comfortable. Amelia, James, and Drew learned very quickly to leave her alone and found solace in the game room.

Nancy's anger at Frank continued to diminish the more she talked to him. She read books and tell stories that she knew he didn't know, all the while willing him to wake up. Her frustration grew for she missed him dearly, wanting him to return the conversation she had. Nancy also wanted so desperately to see the deep brown eyes, to be lost in their infinity. As she sat one late afternoon, talking to him about the weather that she hadn't seen in days, James, Drew, and Amelia rushed into the room. They were followed by Bianca and the orderlies and moved about the room, gathering the items they took from the car the week before.

"What's going on?" Nancy asked, rising from the chair. She watched as Bianca began taking Frank off the monitors. Nancy became frantic when everyone continued to ignore her, not telling her what was going on.

"We have to go, dear," Amelia said as calmly as she could after Nancy cried out again. She guided Nancy over to her bed to help get her shoes on. "There's an agent from the states searching the building. She has two men with her who claim they are agents as well though we don't think this is the case. They're too brutish looking. We need to go before they find you."

"Wait, what?" Nancy was confused about the whole thing. "I thought we were safe here. How you do know they're not here to help?"

"Nancy," said Bianca, breathlessly. "The guard at the gate noticed them when they arrived. He informed me there is no way the two men accompanying this agent were there to help. Now, we have to get Frank to the garage and into the car while we have time. They are specifically looking for you but I had my nurse show them the wrong wing to give us time. We have minutes before they figure it out."

The orderlies shifted the bed out the door and down the hall to the elevator. Amelia and James guided Nancy down the stairs as Drew stayed with Frank and Bianca. When they arrived in the garage and she realized the severity of the situation, Nancy became hysterical to stop them from moving Frank.

"You said not to move him for another week!" she cried getting in from of an orderly. She was hindering the two men from doing their job and didn't notice Bianca pull out a syringe until it was already plunged into her arm.

"I'm sorry," Bianca said softly as Nancy's eyes closed and she fell back.

"What are you doing?" cried James rushing to catch Nancy before she hit the ground out cold.

"I had to!" Bianca yelled. "She could inadvertently hurt Frank more by stopping them from moving him! Now, I suggest you get them both into that car and go!"

Bianca quickly handed Amelia a large duffle bag as the two orderlies and Drew got Frank into the car and secured. After putting Nancy in the car, James got into the driver's seat and started the engine.

"Here, there are plenty of supplies and antibiotics that you're going to need for the next few weeks plus instructions on how to administer them. He just had a dose an hour ago so it gives you some time before you have to give him more," Bianca explained. "As long as you keep up with the doses, Frank will be fine. His fever is now a low-grade and should be gone in the next few days. "

Amelia thanked the woman and rushed to the car with duffle as Drew got into the front passenger seat.

"The guard at the gate will let you out!" Bianca cried through the open window.

"Thank you, Bianca!" cried Drew waving as James peeled away. He watched out the side view mirror as a woman and two men rushed out of the stairwell and try to catch up only to stop as the car pulled away.

Racing across the facility grounds, no one else chased them. As they approached the gate, the guard waved them through quickly and they disappeared into the late afternoon sun.

* * *

"Damn it!" cried the agent as the car pulled out of the underground garage. She got out her phone and dialer a number. "Although we didn't catch their faces, I think it was them. They got away, sir. I'm sorry."

She paused listening to the angry voice on the phone yell at her. She looked at the doctor standing nearby, smiling smugly. The agent wanted nothing more than to wipe the smirk off the woman's face. She nodded when the person on the other line gave an order.

"Are you sure? … Yes, sir." The agent put her phone away once the call ended and looked to the thugs standing next to her. "Purge it."

One of the men pulled out a gun and shot the doctor in the head before she even realized what the agent meant. Over an hour later, flames licked the outside of the facility as the agent drove the car out of the gate. The two thugs along with two more passengers rode with her leaving no one alive behind them to tell the tale.


	12. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:**

 **Sorry it took so long to get this one out. This week has been a whirlwind of events and timing was just not there. I have been waiting for this chapter and hopefully it comes out the way I want it to. If there are any errors, sorry about that! So, enjoy and don't forget to review! Thanks!**

Chapter Eleven

Powers stood looking out the window of his office, his hands behind his back. He was angry that Hardy and the girl escaped weeks before but now that no one could find two injured people, he was furious. Ever since the fiasco in Zurich, Interpol has steadily been ramping up their own search for the two as well as trying to find a way to put him away. His business took a small tumble when he spread his resources to find them and he knew he couldn't make his original plan come to fruition anymore. Powers had to think of something new but first, he had to repair some of the damage caused by their escape.

His tech man, Marty, made sure their computer systems and data were near impregnable, building firewall after firewall to stop any other hacking. The person who did the original hacking during the rescue was good. Very good but Marty left a few bugs in the system in case they or anyone else was able to get in again.

The drug being developed in Berlin was completed two weeks before and was ready for delivery but Powers had his mind on other things. It left his distributors and buyers a little angry and his impeccable reputation suffered for it. When word got around about the escape, his competitors took it upon themselves to try to swoop in on his business. Although his mind was elsewhere, Powers still had control and those who tried to defy him soon were taught a lesson they never forgot.

"Sir?" Nathan asked, breaking Powers' thoughts.

"What is it?" he grumbled, never turning around.

"The drugs have been loaded and the plane is ready for takeoff. Any instructions before we go?"

"Change of plan," Powers replied, turning around to face Nathan. "I know I have numerous places who want this drug but I feel we need a new distribution center."

"But the center outside Lansing is perfect and has been ready for weeks."

"I understand that, Nathan, but without Hardy, our original plan fell apart. I need a place that's going to draw him out and I know exactly where you should look for a new building. The distributors will just have to wait until we're ready."

"Yes, Mr. Powers." Nathan left the room quietly as Powers turned toward the window once more. If he couldn't find them, he was going to have them come to him.

* * *

Kyla finally came for them a day after they left the facility. She told James that she was worried she missed them since she heard about what transpired there.

"What are you talking about?" he asked over the phone. Drew was driving and looked over at him, concerned. They had to drive around due to the fact that a hotel was out of the question with the prospect of having to haul Frank inside, who was still out.

"The hospital you were at?" Kyla stated. "It was burned to the ground. No one survived. The feds are investigating since it was one of their facilities but they haven't found any evidence. The news did say that the people there were not killed by the flames or smoke. They were shot almost execution style. Do you know anything about it?"

"Right before we had to leave," James began, "an agent came with two goons posing as agents. We barely were able to get out before they caught up to us. What do you mean everyone was shot?"

"That's what I said! It's like they went through and purged the entire building before lighting it on fire."

James looked over at Drew who was now pulling over to hear what was going on. He knew his friend was not going to be happy hearing about Bianca. She was a good lady.

"Before I forget," Kyla said, "I found a house to rent for you all. It's beautiful and right on a beach. Sound nice? It's furnished and paid for the month or so. Landlord's name is Demopoulos and he'll meet you there tomorrow. You just have to get to the island."

"Island?"

"Yep. After you gave me the instructions on what to look for, I started looking on islands only. It's isolated, further down than the other houses so you should be fine." Kyla gave him the information as to where the island was and the address of the house.

"Thanks, Kyla," James replied before ending the call. "We've got a house!"

"Thank god!" cried Amelia from the back seat. "I need a bath!"

"What happened in Zurich, James?" Drew looked at him seriously and waited.

"I'm sorry, buddy." James put his hand on Drew's shoulder. The man's face turned beet red in anger as he cried out. James went on to explain the whole event as Kyla explained it to him. Amelia sniffled in the back seat while Nancy sat wide-eyed and angry next to her. "Let me take over, Drew."

Once they were back on the road, James headed to Greece and the island of Milos where their destination was. Drew sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window. He didn't show his grief over losing his long-time friend but he vowed then that after everything that they'd all been through the past few days, he was going to stick around until it was over for good.

* * *

The house was nestled on the end of a strip of other houses, overlooking the Aegean Sea. Their nearest neighbors were about a quarter of a mile away and they had their own private beach. When the group arrived the week before, Nancy rushed into the house to seek out the perfect room for Frank. On the second floor, the largest room caught her eye. It had a balcony with an amazing view of the beach and crystal blue waters. She opened the balcony doors to let the air in and knew this was where he should be.

Drew and James ensured that the house was secure with each room having access to a gun and a lock they could bolt shut. They made escape plans and backups just in case they were found. James even bought a sailboat which helped them go to the mainland for supplies without having to wait for the ferry.

Amelia settled in as the unspoken matriarch of the house, cooking dinners, cleaning, and even doing a bit of gardening. She always kept up with Frank's medicine and made sure Nancy was okay although she constantly insisted she was fine. Amelia also was the one everyone went to with problems, seeing that she was already a psychiatrist. Nancy still had a few more weeks before she had to see a doctor to make sure her wrist healed properly.

As for Frank, he continued to slumber not knowing what was going on around him. Nancy kept vigil beside him, rarely going outside though she kept the doors open to let the cool sea air in. In the week they'd been there, she never slept in the bedroom she shared with Amelia across the hall from Frank's room, choosing to curl up on the chair and ottoman beside him.

"I'm getting worried about Nancy," Amelia stated one afternoon. James and Drew sat at the table, eating lunch with her and listening to her fears. "She doesn't eat much and she holes in upstairs all day. Do you think she's okay?"

"I'm worried too but more so about Frank," James said. He took a bite of his salad before continuing. "I thought he would have woken up by now. The fever broke three days ago."

"Maybe he's catching up on the sleep he lost over the past few months," Amelia suggested. "I don't know either. He'll wake when he's ready. As for Nancy, she needs to get out. I don't care if she sits and pouts out of the beach for an hour just as long as she's outside."

The three stopped talking as they heard the floor creak on the stairs. Moments later, Nancy walked around the corner rubbing her eyes. She stopped before them as they all stared at her from the table.

"What?" Nancy asked. She had a feeling they were talking about her but she didn't let on about it. Although she was dressed in a skirt and peasant top, she looked a bit disheveled as if she just woke up from a nightmare. "I had a bad dream, okay?"

"Nancy, why don't you go freshen up and we'll go down to the beach for a little while," Amelia suggested with a smile. "Or maybe we can go to the mainland for some shopping. Does that sound nice?"

"Go down to the beach so I can 'pout' some more you mean?" Nancy said, angrily. She folded her arms in front of her as an awkward silence rose in the room. "And remember the last time we did some 'shopping?' No, I don't think so."

"Oh, okay," Amelia said sadly. She looked down at the table and picked at her food. James looked at Nancy in shock as the girl went to the sink and got a glass of water.

"Now, just hold on a minute!" cried James. "I sincerely hope you don't intend to walk out that door without apologizing to Amelia!"

"It's okay, James," Amelia said softly, grabbing a hold of his arm.

"No, it's not," James growled. Amelia took her hand off his arm as he stood up to face Nancy. "You have been moping about this house for days and becoming a recluse. Then you come down here and act like a spoiled brat! Amelia was expressing that she was worried about you because she _cares_! Be thankful that you have that right now! I know it's hard but we are all getting by! We all want Frank to wake up but you can't forget to live while you wait!"

"Okay, for one _you_ are not my father so don't you ever talk to me like that again!" Nancy screamed. " _You_ are the reason why we are even in this mess to begin with so don't you dare make me think that you even care! You have no idea what I'm thinking or going through at the moment! Most of this is _none of your business_ which makes me wonder why in god's name are you even still here? You worry more about yourself which is what you did from the very beginning when you took me from my home! So the next time you feel you want to stand there and try to be my father, don't! You won't be able to utter those words out of your mouth for I'm going to slam them down your throat!"

Nancy glared at him for just a second before she stormed out of the room, grabbed her sandals and slammed the back door. Drew sat staring at the table trying to avoid a conversation as Amelia began clearing their food. James stood stock still, anger pulsating through his veins as he tried to calm himself down. He thought they were fine after he called her father weeks before so the outburst took him by surprise.

"I told you it was okay," Amelia said softly.

"It needed to be said," James answered, helping her to gather the remnants of the meal. "At least she got out of the house."

"Well, how about you two actually do something for once and go get some things at the market down the road?" Amelia said.

"Why are you mad at me?" Drew said, looking innocent.

"I'm not mad at you but I want you to go with James so he doesn't get sidetracked like the last time."

"Fine. Whatever," James shrugged. He took the list from her and left by the front door with Drew reluctantly trailing behind.

Amelia stayed behind to clean and wait for Nancy to return. Once she was done, she checked on Frank who was still sleeping. Amelia had a feeling that Nancy took all her frustrations out on them and knew the girl needed time to think things through before she came home. She retired to her own room and decided to take a short nap before the circus returned later on.

* * *

Nancy sat on the beach, looking at the crystal blue waters of the Aegean. The waves crashed onto the beach, helping her thoughts process. She wanted to stay but with Frank out and no end in sight as to when he would wake up, Nancy didn't know if she should. Her father missed her dearly and she missed him. She missed her life in general along with her friends. Even though Amelia, James, and, now, Drew were there, Nancy still felt lonely. She didn't know them very well and they were much older than her. Nancy needed to be around people she knew and people her own age. It was tough to sit and watch Frank dwindle away every second he wasn't awake. Nancy had been friends with Frank since they were kids and when they had cases together, they seemed to think as one. But now, she felt completely lost as if her other half was longer around.

She watched the waves rush in, thinking about what she needed to do. Nancy knew James and Amelia meant well when they confronted her and felt bad for her angry outburst. Now that she heard it from someone else, she knew she needed to do something other than sit beside Frank and wait. But Nancy didn't want to stop doing that. Just to be near him made her feel normal but for him not to talk to her, made her feel lonelier. After another hour of thinking, Nancy finally made her decision albeit a difficult one. She rose from the sand and brushed off her skirt, taking one last look at the sea. She walked slowly back to the house, sandals dangling from her hand and head down. She never knew someone was watching her from a distance.

* * *

He watched her walking along the beach, the wind carrying her hair behind her. She looked sad, almost upset as if she had the weight of the world on her back. He watched her for quite a long time, wondering what she was thinking of. Finally, she strolled back toward the house, keeping her head down, not seeing him. He laughed quietly as the wind whipped her skirt up just a bit and she struggled to put it back down. She soon disappeared into the house leaving him to wonder how to approach her.

* * *

Amelia woke up two hours later to the sounds of James and Drew moving about downstairs. When she went to go see them, she saw that they bought more than what was requested, a lot of things they didn't really need. As she went to help them put the fruits and vegetables away, Amelia noticed that Nancy was still not back.

"I wonder what's taking her so long," she said to no one in particular.

"Oh, she's probably still sulking somewhere," James said, passing a melon to Drew. "Did you check on Frank?"

"Yeah, before I fell asleep. He's fine as far as I know."

"Well, if Nancy doesn't come in soon, I'll go check on him next time."

Just a few minutes later, they heard the patter of feet walking across the hardwood floor. All three of them turned to see Nancy rounding the corner, her sandals still in her hand.

"Feel better, dear?" Amelia asked cheerfully. Without saying anything, Nancy walked over to the woman and hugged her. She then looked over to James, who looked at her through narrowed eyes.

"I'm sorry," Nancy replied. "I didn't mean to upset all of you. I…I just want…"

"We know," James said, his face softening. He walked over to her and hugged her, rubbing her back. "We're all under a lot of stress and you more so than us. We understand."

"I need to talk to all of you this evening," Nancy said softly, breaking away from James. "I came to a decision that needs to be addressed."

"Okay," Amelia replied. She gave James a questionable look and he shrugged, not knowing what Nancy meant. "Do you need anything, dear?"

"No, I'm good," Nancy answered. She walked over to the sink where her glass from earlier stood and refilled it. She headed for the stairs as she said, "I'll be with Frank if you need me."

The three of them watched her ascend the stairs before saying anything.

"Well, that went better than before," Drew replied.

Seconds later, they heard the breaking of glass on the floor above them. With James leading the way, they rushed up the stairs to see what was wrong. As they came to the main bedroom's door, all three stopped in their tracks when they saw the scene before them. Amelia's eyes began to well up with tears.

"Finally," James said quietly.

Standing at the balcony doors were Nancy and Frank, hugging one another. He looked over at James, Drew, and Amelia and gave them a small smile. Frank finally woke up.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

"I missed you so much!" Nancy said softly. Frank held her tightly as he watched the door closed by Amelia. She looked up at him, eyes welling up with tears. "Don't you ever do that to me again!"

"I won't," he whispered hoarsely, his voice still not quite normal. They continued to embrace long after Nancy saw him standing at the balcony door. Her heart was breaking over her decision to leave but she knew that she now needed to stay.

"I almost made the worst decision of my life!" she replied. Nancy laughed softly, touching his scruffy face just a bit. She tried to shave him the week before but had to ask for help from Amelia and never tried again.

"Before we do anything else, we need to talk alone," Frank said softly. Nancy nodded but they were interrupted by the door opening. Amelia stood at the door, her face upset.

"I'm sorry to come back but you two need to see this!" Amelia waved for them to follow her and they went down the stairs. James and Drew were sitting at the table, watching something on the laptop with interest. They both looked up at Nancy and Frank as the two walked around to see what was going on.

"Oh, no," Nancy replied looking up at Frank.

* * *

" _Officials say they are trying to figure out what happened at the US operated facility outside Zurich, Switzerland,"_ the newscaster announced. Carson sat on the couch watching the news, waiting for the Hardys to arrive. It had been three weeks since he spoke with Nancy on the phone and it worried him that he didn't hear from her since. He understood they were in hiding but he wanted to at least know something. The news began talking about the incident in Zurich the week before though they had no leads then. Carson had a feeling it had something to do with Nancy and Frank since they were on their way to someplace they couldn't say.

 _"Although there is no video evidence to suggest it, authorities at both Interpol and the CIA, who ran the facility and hospital, believe they may have a suspect in the case."_ The doorbell rang and Hannah answered it while Carson sat glued to the TV. He heard the Hardys enter and waved at them nonchalantly. Fenton came in and sat down next to him when a blurry photo of a man appeared on the screen. Joe stared at the TV, his eyes going wide with anger. _"William Powers, former Network operative, became an international crime boss soon after he was exposed within the agency as a double agent five years ago. He has not been seen in public in several years and authorities have not said as to why they believe it was him. They also believe he was responsible for an incident that occurred in Chicago seven months ago where three people disappeared. Authorities have reason to believe that the three who disappeared are currently in Europe."_

"Where are they getting their information?" Fenton growled.

 _"No one has said the missing people were involved as well and their identities have been kept secret. This reporter though has received information on two of the people…"_

"What?!" everyone in the room yelled at the same time. Agent Davis assured them months before that the press would not be involved and Nancy and Frank's pictures would not be released but sure enough, their photos came up on the screen. Carson looked at Fenton, both of them recognizing the photos for they were the exact ones they gave Agent Davis.

 _"If anyone has any information about any of these people, they are urged to call the FBI."_

"You bet your ass I'm going to call them!" cried Carson grabbing the house phone. It rang suddenly in his hand forcing him to look at the caller ID. Slamming the phone down, he went for his cell phone. "Don't answer any phone calls, Hannah!"

He dialed a number and waited for the person to answer.

"Agent Davis here."

"What in god's name is going on?" Carson yelled into the phone. "You told us their names and faces wouldn't be plastered all over the news and now look what's happened! They're treating them like criminals!"

"I know, Mr. Drew," she stated calmly. "We are looking into the possible leak and we'll stop it once we find it."

"It's too late, Davis!" screamed Carson. "What are you trying to do, paint a target on their backs?"

"I need you to calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down! I want to know how this happened! If anything happens to either one of them…"

"You'll what?" Agent Davis snapped. "You should have called me the moment you heard from them!"

"How did you know that?" Carson looked at Fenton, who shook his head.

"I have my own ways of finding things out, Mr. Drew. You should remember that." Agent Davis' voice was nasty as she continued. "You might want to think about the next time you yell at me over something like this. I'll let it slide that you heard from them and didn't say anything but the next time that it happens, I'll throw both you and Mr. Hardy in jail for obstruction! Are we clear? Now, if you don't mind, I have to find the leak and plug it."

Without saying goodbye to him, the agent hung up on Carson. The house phone continued to ring with no one picking up. Joe noticed movement out on the front yard and walked to the window. Pulling back the curtain just a bit, he saw people gathering around along with a few reporters, looking like it did the night Nancy was taken seven months before.

"What is it, Joe?" asked Fenton from the couch.

"We're in trouble, Dad," he answered. Joe closed the curtains and went around to all of the curtains on the first floor of the house. "You might want to call someone, Mr. D."

"What do you mean?" Carson rushed to the window and cursed out loud.

* * *

"What are we going to do?" Nancy asked once the newscast was over. She was afraid of even leaving the house now for fear of someone recognizing her. Frank stood next to her, thinking while the other four stared at the screen. "How did you know this was being broadcast?"

"Kyla called," Amelia said. "She wanted to let us know about the broadcast. It was already over by the time we found it but we were able to review it."

"What can we do?" asked Drew. "I'm not sure how long it will take for your photos to make it to Europe but I assure you, it will be within hours. I'm sure Interpol already has them."

"Drew's right," James replied. "We have to figure out what we can do to disguise the both of you, mostly you, Nancy. You're hair is what I'm assuming got you caught it Paris."

"Thanks, James," Nancy said, giving him a bad look. "Maybe we could look into dying my hair or something."

Frank stood silently behind everyone, the only one who hadn't given any input about the situation. He studied the broadcast and gave no real reaction when their photos came onto the screen. In fact, Frank was surprised it hadn't happened earlier but he wondered if Nancy's father had something to do with that. The others continued to talk about possible ideas including going so far as plastic surgery though Nancy shot that one down the moment it came out of someone's mouth. Frank abruptly left the room, the others watching him rush up the stairs. They all knew they couldn't do anything at the moment since it was in the evening so any kind of plan would have to wait until the next day.

They all heard the sound of the shower come on and their meeting broke up, not knowing what to do next. Amelia decided to start a late dinner with Drew's help while Nancy went out onto the back patio. She plopped into the chair and stared at the beach.

"Penny for your thoughts?" James asked. He stood at the door, looking concerned. Nancy looked at him and shrugged.

"Nothing you can do," she said quietly. "I just wish this all didn't happen. I really want to go home and now, I don't think it's possible without putting Powers away for good."

"Yeah, you can blame me for this," James admitted. Nancy gave him a look and smirked.

"I already do," she replied, "but I've learned to forgive and forget. You calling Dad made me realize that you really cared, although I kind of called you out earlier, didn't I?"

"You did," James laughed. He took the seat across from her. "I really want to help the both of you although I'm not sure if Frank still wants me around or not."

"He hasn't had the time to really think about it since he woke up," Nancy said quietly. She wanted to rewind the evening's events and pause it just before Amelia interrupted them just so she could hear what Frank wanted to talk to her about. "There are things I want to tell him about but when the broadcast came on, everything changed and now, I don't know when we're ever going to talk."

"Well, let's go eat and then maybe you'll get your chance," James said. He held out his hand to help her up but she just remained in the chair.

"Thanks, but I'm not really that hungry," she said sadly. "You go ahead and maybe I'll come in later."

"Oh, okay," he replied. "If you change your mind, come on in."

James went inside, leaving Nancy on the back patio. She listened as the others talk quietly, hearing her name a few times. Soon she heard Frank coming downstairs, his voice carrying through the house. Nancy smiled to herself, relieved to hear his voice once more though she wished he was addressing her at the moment. She closed her eyes and listened to the hum of voices and the breaking of the waves, lolling her to sleep.

* * *

"Where's Nancy?" Frank asked when he got downstairs. He looked around for her but didn't see her.

"She's on the back patio," James replied, pointing to the back door. "She said she wasn't hungry so I didn't press it."

"Oh," Frank said, a little put out. He smelled the food Amelia was cooking, his stomach growling loudly. Although he wanted to talk to Nancy, Frank knew he couldn't do anything on an empty stomach. _God, I'm thinking like my brother,_ he thought as he dug into the chicken and rice before him. James, Drew, and Amelia filled him in on everything that happened in the past few weeks, including Zurich and that James spoke with Carson weeks before. "How did my family take it?"

"Well, from the sound of it, your dad wasn't very happy," James replied. "Other than that, they're worried, as they should be. I think maybe you should call them sometime, let them know you're fine."

"I'll think about it," Frank replied. He ate the last of his chicken and rose from the table with his plate. Not really wanting to have an extended conversation with those at the table, Frank excused himself and went to find Nancy. Even in the evening sky, he could tell the island they were on was beautiful, the soft sea air whipping his hair. Frank looked down at the chair where Nancy lay sleeping. He noticed her wrist was still in a cast and his anger rose again from the memory of how it happened. Her breathing was steady, Nancy curled up on the chair and shivered. Frank went inside and brought back a blanket, covering her. He sat in the chair next to her and watched just as she did him for three weeks. Amelia came to the door and smiled.

"We're turning in for the night," she said softly. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he answered, looking up at her. "I'm not really tired at the moment. Had too much sleep, you know."

"I know," Amelia laughed. "If you need anything, I'm just upstairs. She stayed by you the whole time, Frank. You know that, right?"

"Mm hmm," Frank said, not really paying attention. Amelia shook her head and left him thinking in the chair across from Nancy. He listened as the others went upstairs, leaving the lights on in the kitchen. Frank didn't really know what to do next as he watched Nancy sleep peacefully.

* * *

Nancy was still on the lounge chair when she felt herself being shaken. She opened her eyes slowly, the image of Frank coming into view. She smiled at him and stretched.

"I just had the most wonderful dream," Nancy said, dreamily.

"That's nice, Nan," Frank said quickly, "but we need to go."

Nancy's face changed to fear, thinking someone found them but Frank calmed her down with a few words of reassurance.

"There's nothing wrong. I just have an idea that I want to get started on right away," he replied, helping her up.

"What time is it?" she asked looking at the still dark sky.

"Four in the morning," Frank answered. He guided he inside and saw Amelia waiting at the front door.

"What's so important that you had to get me up this early?" Nancy asked, annoyed.

"I didn't sleep last night for, you know, obvious reasons," Frank explained, gathering a backpack he had ready. "And I came to the conclusion that we needed a dramatic change, one that not even our own families could recognize. Something I heard you say last night that sparked it. So I Googled and found a place that may help us on the mainland but since I really didn't want James and Drew to know, we have to leave extremely early."

"Okay, can I at least shower before we go?"

"Um, no, you can shower there…I think."

"Right now, I want to kill you for getting me up after a wonderful dream that, sadly, is not coming true," Nancy growled at him. She gave a big yawn before continuing. "Not only that, I can't take a shower?"

"Well, kill me later," Frank said, ushering her out the door and down the gravel road.

"I'm hungry, too," she grumbled. She stumbled a little in the dark and Frank caught a hold of her. Shrugging him off, Nancy followed Amelia, who so far remained silent. "And why is Amelia coming but not James or Drew?"

"Because I don't trust them," Frank explained. He was getting a little tired of Nancy's questions but soon brushed it off due to fatigue on her part. "Besides Amelia knows where the boat it and how to work it with just the motor."

"Okay, fine," Nancy mumbled, crossing her arms in front of her. She wished she had a shawl or jacket in the early morning air. They reached the marina and found the sailboat James bought.

The sun was just beginning to touch the horizon when they sailed out of the bay and towards the mainland. Nancy still had no clue as to where they were going as she sulked below. She was getting more and more angry by the minute as Frank continued to not tell her anything. Nancy was also upset that he hadn't taken the time to talk to her and their privacy was given up since Amelia was with them… again. Several hours later, they docked in Greece and found a taxi to take them to the place Frank found.

Nancy's mood lightened when she saw that it was a day spa that he was taking her to. With a wave of Euros, they were both escorted in and separated while Amelia decided not to change her appearance even though Frank insisted. As she waited in the lobby, her phone buzzed with a call and when she answered, Amelia was greeted with a very angry James.

"Where are you?" cried James.

"We're on the mainland," she answered innocently.

"I know that!" he cried angrily. "But why? And why was it so important for you to leave us behind?"

Amelia was silent, thinking of what she could say. She didn't want to tell him that Frank didn't entirely trust him but she knew she needed to say something.

"You need to talk to Frank then. Not me," Amelia stated. "It was his idea and he wanted to get started right away."

"Yeah, with _my_ boat!" yelled James. "Drew and I are on the ferry now and will be on the mainland within the hour. Where exactly are you and we'll meet you there."

Amelia reluctantly gave him the address and continued to wait in the lobby long after the call ended. She knew Frank wasn't going to be happy that James was coming but the man needed to know after he'd done for them in the past few weeks. She received a text message over an hour later from James saying he and Drew were outside waiting. Amelia walked out sheepishly, trying to avoid the angry glare from James. Drew just stood there, trying hard not to show amusement about the whole situation. He felt James was blowing it out of proportion. As Amelia and James argued about the boat and Frank's idea, Drew sipped his coffee and looked around. It was an upscale area of the city with lots of expensive boutiques and salons up and down the avenue. He looked back at the front of the spa where Amelia came out of and nearly dropped his coffee. His jaw dropped open as he tried to get James' attention who was still fighting with Amelia.

"What?!" James cried finally, annoyed to be interrupted. He looked Drew who pointed in the general direction of the spa's doors. James and Amelia turned around to see what he was gaping at and nearly fell over. "Holy…"

 **Author's Note:**

 **I had the hardest time with this chapter. It's filler before what I was planning for the story but every time I went to write it, I hated it. So if it seems like it doesn't make any sense, I'm sorry about that. Too much on the brain at once! This is also the longest chapter to date for this story. Anyway, I also wanted to let you know that there will be no more updates on weekends and I am going to try to get out new chapters on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to compensate. Please enjoy and don't forget to review to let me know how you feel about this one!**


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Walking toward Drew, James, and Amelia was a man they recognized but almost didn't. His hair was lighter on top, cut messy and brushed up with short sides, stubble of a beard on his face. He wore dark jeans and a grey v-neck t-shirt, giving him a handsome look.

"Frank?" Amelia asked as he walked up to them. He smiled broadly and hugged her.

"What do you think?" Frank asked. He laughed when he saw the shocked stares of Drew and James. He knew then and there that he accomplished what he set out to do. Not even his own brother would recognize him unless Joe looked closely.

"Woah," Drew said, breaking into a smile. "I had to do a double take man! Looking good!"

"Thanks!" Frank replied with a proud smile. He was ready for the next step though he wondered what was taking Nancy so long. Holding out his arm to Amelia, Frank asked, "Shall we go back in and wait for Nancy?"

"Let's!" Amelia smiled taking his arm.

"Well, I guess you can't be too mad at him anymore, huh James?" asked Drew, following Frank and Amelia. James was still angry about being left behind but the outcome of Frank's plan completely took him by surprise. They all trudged back into the lobby of the spa, finding an empty couch and chairs to wait on.

An hour later, after Frank and James duked it out a little and reconciled, they were all still waiting on Nancy. People came and went out of the lobby, either to go upstairs or outside. Frank was starting to get a little impatient when something caught his eye. All he saw were a pair of legs walking slowly down the staircase toward him. Sure, there were beautiful women all around the spa but Frank literally couldn't take his eyes off of these particular legs nor go any higher to see her face. He did know that the woman who owned the legs was wearing a yellow dress that fluttered as she strutted by, carrying a bag similar to his own. James and Drew took notice as well while Amelia rolled her eyes at them. All three men leaned over to watch the woman walk away, long auburn hair flowing down her back in lose curls. When the woman rounded the corner, Frank leaned back in the chair. He felt certain he knew the woman from somewhere but couldn't place her. Frank noticed Amelia was hiding some amusement behind her hand and was about to say something when he felt two hands slither their way down his chest, a sensual, sexy voice in his ear.

"My, don't you look handsome today." Frank quickly got up, not knowing who was touching him. A familiar laugh rang through the lobby and he turned around, his jaw dropping slightly. Leaning on the chair in front of him, smirking, was the same beauty who just walked by, her legs dangling over the edge of the chair.

"I was wondering if I could fool the great Frank Hardy and I think I did a pretty good job of doing that!" laughed Nancy. Amelia started laughing at Frank's reaction, along with the embarrassment written across Drew and James' faces. Nancy's hair was now a perfect auburn color which really flattered her. Her skin was bronzed a little going well with the yellow drew she wore. She pulled out her wrist brace from the bag she carried and put it back on. "That was fun! I don't know about you guys but I'm hungry!"

"I'm game!" cried Amelia, rising from her chair quickly. The three men were left in shock as the two women walked arm-in-arm out the door. Grabbing his bags, Frank hurried to follow them with James and Drew scrambling behind.

Thirty minutes later, all five of them were sitting at the table in a nice restaurant. For once Frank felt he could be out in the open without looking over his shoulder. He kept stealing looks at Nancy who decided to sit away from him between Drew and Amelia.

"Is she mad at you or something?" James asked, leaving over.

"I don't see how that is any of your business, James," Frank replied, rudely, not looking at him.

"Just an observation, that's all. Don't mind me." James took a few more bites of his sandwich before he looked over at Frank again. "She wants to talk, you know."

"I know she does," Frank replied. "So do I but I don't see a time when we can though. I was ready to talk last night but the whole thing with the broadcast and then she fell asleep, it kind of got sideswiped."

"Excuses, excuses," James replied. "You had your chance numerous times before too. By the way, why did you bring Amelia with you today? All she did was wait."

"I wanted her to get a change too but she refused," Frank answered. He took a bite of his own sandwich and looked over at Nancy still talking to Amelia. "Besides, she knew where the boat was and how to use it."

"And you don't?" James raised an eyebrow as Frank glared at him. "That's a bunch of bull and you know it."

"What do you know?" he hissed.

"I know that you want to talk to the woman you love but you're afraid of her reaction." Frank's expression softened a bit, his face turning pink a little. "You know it to be true, Frank. I regret all the things I did in the past but most especially what I did to Nancy's mother. She was the love of my life and I took her for granted. Look what happened. Nancy could easily have been my daughter and my own blindness and thirst for vengeance brought you to where you are now. She is an amazing woman and I know you see that but your fears are getting the better of you. This is the moment that you need to ask yourself: Is she worth it?"

Frank was silent for a few moments, looking at James. His face was filled with turmoil, wondering how he was going to tell her. He gazed over at Nancy, her smile lighting up the room. Frank felt a kind of déjà vu as if he had the conversation before, just not with James. Although her hair was different, Nancy was still the same confident woman he had fallen for.

"She's worth it," Frank replied softly, looking back at James. "But I don't know how to say it."

"How about this: I take Drew and Amelia back with me on the boat while you take the car. We'll meet you back at the house." James raised his eyebrows and waited for him to answer.

"You'd do that?"

"Absolutely. As I told Nancy last night, I want to help and this is my way of helping. In fact, why don't you just take the boat, as long as you can handle it on your own, of course?"

"Yeah, I think I can," Frank said. "I guess you're right. I did bring Amelia out of fear. She was just more of a comfort than anything and I think it upset Nancy a little. It might be why she's ignoring me."

"Glad to hear that you're finally thinking it through," James said, patting his back. Although he felt Frank may be lying a little about handling the boat, James gave instructions to him anyway and directions on how to get back to the island. "I guess we'll see you tonight?"

"I guess so." Frank couldn't believe that he was actually starting to trust James after everything he did in Chicago but he knew the man to was trying to help. He saw it in his eyes. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

The rest of lunch was quiet for Frank as he kept glancing at Nancy though she continued to ignore him. Once lunch was paid for, they all piled into the Land Rover and headed for the marina. Taking their bags out of the trunk, Frank guided Nancy to the boat as James held Amelia back when she tried to follow and shook his head. When the two disappeared below deck, Drew drove off with James and Amelia to catch the next ferry to Milos.

"Where'd they go?" Nancy asked when she came back on deck. She expected to see at least Amelia waiting on the dock but it was empty and the Land Rover was gone.

"I don't know," Frank said, acting ignorant. "I guess it's just you and me then. You ready?"

"I guess," Nancy replied, sitting down on the forward deck. She took off her heals and gazed out onto the blue sea, trying her best to avoid Frank. Although she felt like a new woman with her change in hair and wardrobe, there was still something missing.

Frank remained silent for a time, keeping his eye on the horizon and trying to remember the directions James gave him to get back to Milos. It would be his luck if he got lost and probably would only make Nancy even madder at him. Once he got the hang of the boat, Frank let it glide for a while and went to sit next to Nancy.

"Since when do you know how to sail a boat?" she asked, still looking out at the water.

"Since never," Frank laughed. "I kind of lied to James about being able to handle it but I'm getting there."

"Ah ha! So you did know they were going to leave!" Nancy pointed her manicured finger at him. He lied to her again but she couldn't be mad at him since they were finally alone for the first time in months.

Frank glanced at Nancy for a moment and his future passed before his eyes. Through all the years they have known each other, solving cases, going through hard times together, this was the moment he truly realized how he felt about her. He kept hearing Joe's voice in his head screaming _"Tell her!"_ but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth no matter how hard he tried. Nancy caught him staring at her out of the corner of her eye, seeing the struggle going on with him. She smiled, a small laugh escaping her.

"What?" Frank asked, looking back at the sea.

"Why are we here?"

"You know why," Frank stated, a little lost on the question. "Powers…"

"No, why are we _here_? Now." Nancy looked over at him, waiting. Frank gave her a blank look, not knowing how to answer her. When he didn't say anything, Nancy got up and started to walk away. "Typical. You still can't talk to me, Frank Hardy! After seven months of being on the road, you still can't bring yourself to speak what's on your mind! I'll be below whenever you're ready!"

"Wait! Don't go!" Frank grabbed her hand to stop her. He stood up to face her. "I do have something to say."

"Then say it and stop beating around the bush!"

"I…I…Why are you always so angry with me?" Frank blurted out. Nancy's face went beet red with anger.

"That's what you wanted to talk to me about?" she cried. Her eyes were starting to well up with tears as she was finally able to release the pent up frustration for real. "About why I'm mad at you all the time? Seriously? Oh, my god! You are the most stubborn man I have ever met! Fine! I'll tell you! You have kept me out of the loop on all your plans since the moment we left River Heights including one where you had _Kyla_ keep an eye on our families to make sure they didn't come to Europe. Who does that? You put your confidence in Amelia _and_ Kyla but you don't come to me at all! Then there's the fact that _you_ decided to drag me along, saying Powers was a bad man out to get us, which now that I've met him, I totally agree. But that's not the point! You made that decision, not _us_! Finally, you didn't go back for Joe! He could have been killed, or your parents, or my dad! And you knew that but you still left! The constant moving around when we got to Europe was annoying too! When will this stop? I spilled all of this before while you slept and you didn't hear me! Now that you're okay, you need to hear it!"

Frank gaped at her in shock. Nancy's pristine makeup was unraveling with tears but it made her more beautiful to him. He knew she said this before and he heard the anguish that she held for him. He would always listen.

"Nancy, I did hear you," Frank finally said. "If you weren't constantly talking to me, I wouldn't be here! I wouldn't have come back! _You_ were my reason to live! Yes, _I_ decided to leave home because of Powers and you came too! I asked you to trust me and you did. As for Joe, I regret that decision every damn day but I know it was the right choice. I was afraid! Afraid that someone knew the right thing to say and _we_ would have killed our families without so much as batting an eye! I was protecting them just as much as I was protecting you!"

"But, why didn't you just come out and say that?"

"Because I didn't want you to think of me as a coward or less than what I was.

"Frank, I never would have thought that and you know it." Nancy wiped her face with her hand. "I want to be a part of everything! Stop keeping me out! This is why I've been so angry and picking fights with you! You don't let me in!"

Frank looked at her and stumbled with his words. He didn't know what to say. He could see the fire burning in her eyes and knew she finally said what she wanted to say to him yet he still struggled with his own words.

"Nancy, I…" Frank stopped himself and realized what he had to do. There were no words he could say. He grabbed her by the waist, leaned in and kissed her passionately, taking Nancy by surprise. When Frank let go, she stood there swaying, blinking quickly as if she didn't know what happened. Suddenly, her hand whipped out and she slapped him hard across the face.

"Ow! What was that for?" he cried, rubbing his burning cheek.

"For not doing that sooner!" Nancy pulled him toward her, planting another kiss on the lips, this time taking him by surprise. They stood there for a while in each other's arms, the world seemingly dissolving around them. They finally felt free but the burden was still there. Nancy remembered what Ned's mother told her before leaving River Heights and this time, she wasn't going to let this love get away.


	15. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:**

 **Sorry I did not get this chapter out when I wanted to last night. I was sick on Thursday and did absolutely no writing so I do apologize for the delay. Thanks for reading and please leave a review if you can!**

Chapter Fourteen

"Thanks, Chief," Carson replied. He and the Hardys were sitting in the living room while Chief McGinnis stood before them. "I can't believe that the press was able to get here so quickly after the broadcast."

"They shouldn't bother you or the Hardys anymore," Chief McGinnis said. He took a cookie from the plate in front of him on the coffee table and smiled. "Have you heard anything from Nancy or Frank?"

"No, not for three weeks," Carson stated. "Even then they didn't tell us much."

"Do you think they had anything to do with what happened in Zurich? The press seems to think so."

"God, I hope not!" cried Fenton. "Those two are not the criminals here and it burns me that anyone would even think it."

"They don't know them like we do, Fenton," Carson said calmly. "It pains me to hear it too but we just have to wait and see what becomes of it."

"Did Agent Davis say anything as to their current whereabouts?" Chief McGinnis asked, finishing off his cookie.

"Other than tell us that we'd be put in jail if we kept anything from her again, no," Carson said. "I really don't trust her at the moment and I don't think that I would tell her anything anyway if they happened to call again."

"Well, if you do, let me know," the Chief stated. "I'll cover your back on it if she happens to come after you."

"Will do. Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"Nah, I have to be going," McGinnis answered, heading for the door. "Let me know if you have any more problems and keep me posted on anything new."

"Were you being truthful about Agent Davis?" Laura asked Carson once the Chief was gone.

"Absolutely," Carson said, staring at her. "If Nancy were here, she would say the same thing. Something is not right about that woman."

* * *

"So, what do you think is taking them so long?" Drew asked, taking a swig of his beer. Along with Amelia and James, he was sitting at the kitchen table later that evening, playing poker.

"I imagine they got lost," Amelia explained, studying her cards. She cried out loud as she put them down, revealing a winning hand. "Read 'em and weep, boys! I just cleaned you out! Again! Ha ha!"

Drew and James started grumbling at the sight of her four Kings. She already beat them four times since they started playing.

"I guess you're just not that lucky tonight," Amelia laughed, collecting her poker chips.

"Oh, we all know who's lucky right now," Drew said, wagging his eyebrows and taking another drink of his beer.

"Oh, stop it!" Amelia cried, hitting him in the arm playfully. He cried out in feigned pain. "You are bad!"

"What? It's just an observation," Drew said, unapologetically. "I mean, come on. What else are we supposed to think? They left long before our ferry did so they should have been back by now. Right, James?"

"I'm not saying a word," James replied, holding up his hands. "Plus, it's none of our business."

"Okay, fine," Drew said, shuffling the cards for the next hand. "Then what's your theory as to where they're at?"

"Haven't a clue," James replied, though he kept his eyes averted from Drew. He was getting a little worried as to where Frank and Nancy were but he knew they'd be back sooner or later. Drew was about to deal the cards again when James downed his beer and burped loudly. "I'm beat plus I don't think I can afford you anymore, my dear Amelia. You're too good at poker. G'night."

"Remember, you owe me money!" cried Amelia as James trudged up the stairs.

"Dollars, right?" James yelled down.

"You wish!" Amelia began cleaning up the empty bottles of beer on the table while Drew put the cards back in the box. "You heading to bed too?"

"Yeah," Drew yawned and stretched at the table. "It's been a long day. You?"

"I'm going to read in bed for a little while then turn in." Amelia rinsed a few plates off then sighed deeply. "You think they're okay?"

"Sure," Drew said. He looked over at her from the table and noticed her worry. "They're fine and like you said, probably just a little lost. That's all. It's getting late. Let's go on to bed and they'll be here in the morning. Trust me."

The two made sure that the house was locked up tight before heading upstairs to their respective rooms. Amelia sauntered into bed after changing into her night clothes and thought for a few minutes. She wondered what had possessed James to allow Frank the opportunity to take the boat out without knowing how to use it. She sighed and rolled over, eventually succumbing to sleep and troubled dreams.

* * *

The next morning, Amelia rolled out of bed to find Nancy's half of the room still empty. She walked over to Frank's room in the hopes that the two were there only to find an empty bed as well. Sighing, Amelia showered and changed before going downstairs. She immediately noticed the air blowing through the room as the back door stood open. Attributing it to either James or Drew coming down earlier, Amelia walked into the kitchen to find already made coffee and a stack of freshly baked pastries on the counter.

"Oh, you!" Amelia cried, thinking it was James who went out earlier in the morning and brought them back. It was already eight in the morning, so she thought the two were already up though James came down the stairs, yawning. "Did you go out and bring back the delicious pastries? They are so good!"

"What are you talking about?" James asked, rubbing his eyes. He looked at the counter seeing the pastries sitting on a plate. "I just woke up and Drew was in the shower just now."

The two heard Drew coming down the stairs, whistling, his hair still wet from his shower.

"Did you go out for a morning run, Drew?" James asked.

"No, why?" Drew looked at the pastries on the counter. "Ooo! Who brought those?"

James and Amelia both shrugged as Drew rushed over and grabbed the first one on top.

"Maybe they're back!" Drew chewed through the pastry quickly. "We can finally find out what took them so long!"

"You're still going on about that?" Amelia cried. She took a sip of her coffee and continued. "Give it up, Drew! It's none of your business! Besides, they're not upstairs."

A small laugh came from the living room as the three turned around, though there was no one there. It startled Amelia that she almost dropped her coffee mug, spilling a little bit on her hand.

"Hello?" she asked, licking the coffee off her hand. A familiar face with auburn hair poked up over the top of the couch, smiling and giving a small wave. "Nancy! Where on earth have you been? We've been worried sick!"

"No, we haven't," James and Drew said together. Amelia gave them a dirty look as she walked over to the couch.

"Fine, I've been worried sick! Where's Fr…oh, hi!" As she looked down, Frank looked back up at her, smiling. His arm was still draped around Nancy's waist, holding her up. They were still dressed in the clothes they wore the day before though they were a bit wrinkled from sleep and they looked like they were comfortably snuggling moments before. A breeze blew in from the open double doors where Amelia could see the sailboat anchored out on the sea nearby. "When did you get in?"

"About two hours ago, I'd say," Frank said. He looked up at Nancy for agreement, who nodded. "We got a little lost."

"We?" Nancy laughed, punching him. "You were the one who said he knew how to get back to the island!"

"Okay, _I_ got lost and _we_ decided to wait until dawn to go find the right island," Frank explained. He rose from the couch and stretched. "We lowered the anchor and when dawn came, Nancy recognized the beach and we took the life boat to shore."

"We walked to that cute little pastry shop down the street," Nancy continued, "and brought back some food since we were a little famished. You know, James, you might want to make sure there's something to eat on your boat just in case. At least you had some water!"

"I'll take that into consideration, Nancy," James said. He was still astonished that the two were able to find the island but not know it was the right one. Watching their body language and actions toward one another, James knew the time alone worked. "I take it that everything is okay?"

"Well, yeah, why wouldn't it be?" Nancy smiled and winked at him. She walked toward the stairs, picking up the white bags from the spa that no one seemed to notice before. "I'm going to get a shower and by the way, Drew. Whatever your dirty little mind is thinking, nothing happened."

"Whatever you say, Nancy," he replied. Drew gave her a suspicious look as she headed up the stairs in which she stuck out her tongue at him. The others watched as Frank walked into the kitchen for a cup of coffee, waiting to hear anything more. All of them were still too stunned for words, wondering why neither of the two made motions to say they were there.

"What?" Frank finally said, looking around at them nervously.

"You could have called," James said. "Especially if you were running late or getting lost."

"Batteries died," Frank answered conveniently. He pointed to the two phones sitting nearby, both charging. "Besides, we got um…distracted."

"Uh huh," Drew said. Frank quickly took a sip of coffee to think.

"As Nancy said, nothing happened," he replied. "Man, you do have a dirty mind."

"So, you really were anchored out there the whole time and didn't know you were at the right island?" James asked. "What _did_ you do?"

"Well, we talked for a while, just like I said I wanted to," Frank began. "Then we did some brainstorming like we used to when we were on cases together. Something that Joe always hated when he was with us because he could never get in a word edgewise. Anyway, we came up with a plan that you may or may not like. Once we were done with that, we called it a night. That's all."

James studied Frank for a little bit. The young man did seem a little bit less on edge than he was before. He seemed calmer and more in control. Even in the few minutes Nancy was with them, she seemed the same way. It was almost as if a heavy burden was finally lifted from their shoulders for the first time in months.

"Well, you're back and that's all that matters," Amelia said happily. Several minutes later, they heard Nancy bounding down the stairs.

"Did you tell them what we thought up?" she asked almost giddy. She changed into a pair of jean shorts and a tank top that accentuated her slim figure. Frank's eyes couldn't help looking her up and down. Nancy walked over, ignoring the look and took his coffee out of his hand, taking a sip though he didn't protest. "Oh! How can you drink that black?"

"No, I didn't tell them everything yet," Frank said, trying to take back his coffee before she added sugar and creamer to it. "And thanks for destroying my coffee!"

"Anytime!" Nancy smiled up at him and he couldn't be mad at her. Amelia smiled at the playfulness the two were expressing toward each other and knew they had finally gotten everything out of their system. Maybe now she could have peace instead of the fighting.

"So, what's this 'plan' of yours?" James asked, interrupting them.

"Well, we got to thinking," Frank started, turning serious. He leaned on the kitchen counter with a new cup of coffee Nancy fixed for him. He looked over at her and smiled. "In order for us to be able to even think about going home, or virtually anything else for that matter, we have to take Powers and his organization down."

"Yeah," James replied, "but that's a pretty big feat for just the two of you to accomplish. How exactly do you propose on doing that?"

"We were, um, hoping," Nancy chimed in, looking at each of them, "that you three would help us. And we have someone else in mind as well, if she's willing."

"You want _us_ to help?" Drew asked a little shocked.

"I mean, if you don't, then we'll understand," Frank replied, surprised by the reaction. He thought maybe the others would jump at the chance to help. "If you have family you'd like to return to, Drew, then by all means. But we are going to need all the help we can get for what we'd like to do."

"My family has been gone for quite some time, Frank," Drew said sorrowfully. "I helped James for a reason and I'm not going to stop there either. Not after what I've seen the past few weeks and certainly not after what happened to Bianca."

"I'm in too," James said finally. "Although, I am actually surprised that you would want my help."

"Nancy told me what you'd done for us and I can't thank you enough for it," Frank said, looking down at his coffee mug. "Plus you let us use the boat for the time that we needed. We knew you would help us and be there for us although I'm not sure how we're going to explain that to our parents. They don't really like you very much."

"We'll deal with that when the time comes," Nancy pointed out, touching his arm tenderly and smiling. "I think they'll eventually understand."

"What about me?" Amelia asked nervously. "I'm not really a fighter and I don't have connections like Drew or James. What is it that you need me to do?"

"What you've been doing for us is enough for now," Frank said. "Anything else, we'll discuss it when we need to."

"So, where do we start?" Drew asked enthusiastically, clapping his hands together.

"Well, we need some training," Frank sighed. "Dr. Cox may have given us a little bit of it while he was programming us but I don't think we are at the full potential of what we could do. Some training may help along with whatever Amelia can help us in accessing that information."

"We can train you," James said. "I don't know much about martial arts but I know a thing or two about guns and weaponry. Drew, what about you?"

"I think Nancy could kick my ass if I did anything to help there," Drew answered with a laugh. "But I can try on any front. Where do you intend to do this training?"

"Hmm, that's, um, the tricky part," Frank replied with a nervous grin. This was the part of the plan he was worried about. He didn't know as to how the others would feel but he came out with it anyway. "There's a small training facility that very few people know about. It's partially underground but it's also used by companies as a way to have team building and, ahem, federal agencies for agents."

"Did I hear you correctly on that last part?" James asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Uh, yes. Yes, you did," Frank stammered. "But that's not the worst part."

"And what could be worse than the possibility of being caught?" Drew asked.

"It's in New York, about 100 miles north of New York City and about 75 miles from Bayport." Frank waited for the protests to die down before continuing. "Plus it's owned by someone who knows my dad."

"What! Are you insane?" James cried. He threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "It's bad enough it puts us within _driving_ distance of your home town but what if Powers gets wind that you're there? What then?"

"We've thought of that, too," Nancy answered. "We're getting new IDs soon with the new looks we have and Frank said the guy hasn't seen him since he was a kid. We're thinking he won't recognize him at all but we have ideas as to how to be able to get away quickly if we need to."

"If you're not using the name Hardy to get in, though," Drew replied, "how do you propose to reach this man? I'm assuming that you have to know the right people to get in or be a loyal 'customer.'"

"That's where you come in, Drew," Frank said. "We were hoping you could use a few of your connections at the Company who can be discreet about getting us all in, without question. Can you do that?"

"It may take a while, but I can see what I can do," Drew nodded. "By the way, who's the other person who you're going to ask for help from?"

Nancy and Frank looked at one another and smiled.

"Kyla," they said in unison.


	16. Chapter 15

**Author's Note:**

 **Happy Memorial Day to all! If you have served or still serving, thank you! And thank you for the get well wish from the guest who reviewed! Nothing that another seven months won't cure! ;) Again thank you for the reviews too! I love hearing what you have to say! Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review!**

Chapter Fifteen

Several hours later, Drew was on the phone with an old friend of his. He was out on the back deck, talking very animatedly, his hands moving around. James and Amelia were out getting a few things for dinner that night, down at the docks. All the while, Frank was hooking up his laptop to get a hold of Kyla. Nancy hovered over him, waiting. He sent a message via email and soon they were both looking at the young girl smiling back at them.

 _"Good to see you okay, Frank,"_ she said. _"And nice to finally meet you, Nancy."_

"Good seeing you again, Kyla," Frank smiled.

 _"Not bad on the new digs!"_ Kyla winked. Nancy finally realized why Frank never held interest in the girl. The now blue hair and young face would never have given him any reason to pursue Kyla. _"I take it this isn't a social call though."_

"No, Kyla. It's not," Frank shook his head.

 _"Let me guess: new IDs and passports for the new looks?"_

"You read my mind," Frank smiled. "I'm sending you an email with several new photos. Time is not an issue but we do need to have them before we leave for the states."

 _"You're coming home?"_ Kyla looked shocked. _"And to think I was beginning to like all this cloak and dagger stuff."_

"Not exactly," Nancy replied. "We have a plan but we need to head to New York before we can implement it fully. Can you help us, please?"

 _"Well, since you asked so nicely, Nancy, yes. I can do what you ask."_ Kyla began typing away on her end before continuing. _"Sorry. I have to keep putting up firewalls and blocks so no one can piggyback again."_

"Understandable," Frank said. "There is one other thing we'd like to ask you though."

 _"Shoot."_

"We need you. In person. No more of this back and forth via Skype or whatever it is we're using to talk." Frank paused seeing an unexpected reaction from Kyla: a huge grin. "We'd get you everything you need computers and tech wise but if there's anything you need to take care of…"

"Oh, I'm in," Kyla said enthusiastically. "I've been wanting to jump ship here for a while and this is my chance. Parents are driving me nuts to get a job. Guess they don't know me as well as they do. Let me know when you get to New York and I'll meet you there. Where do you want me to send the package?"

"You can't send it here for obvious reasons," Nancy answered. "Send it to a bank in Athens and have it marked with a password only we would know."

She gave Kyla the instructions for the bank and waved goodbye to get a drink in the kitchen.

"I like her," Kyla said. "What took you so long?"

"What do you mean?" Frank asked confused.

"All those times you complained about her, I felt like the 'Love Doctor,'" Kyla stated with a sly grin. "Did you finally get everything off your chest with her? It sure seems that way from how her body language was towards you."

"Nothing gets by you, does it, Kyla?" Frank shook his head and laughed. "Yes, we let all out plus a few other things."

"Oh, you're bad!" Kyla squealed. "I can't wait to meet her in person!"

"Not that much!" Frank cried quickly. "We are taking things slow for now until all of this begins to die down."

"Uh huh," Kyla smirked. Not believing him, she winked at Frank. "I'll have your package out as soon as I can and let you know when it's on the way."

"Thanks, again, Kyla."

"Anytime, handsome. See you soon."

Feeling accomplished, Frank closed down the laptop and walked over to where Nancy was standing at the kitchen sink. He didn't know if she heard the end of his conversation with Kyla from the way she stood, staring out the window. Wrapping his arms around her waist, Frank held her close to him. He smelled the fresh scent of her skin and kissed her neck tenderly.

"Wow," Nancy said, a slight sniffle in her tone. "What was that for?"

"Just because," he said quietly. Frank turned her around and was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said looking embarrassed. Nancy stepped away from him, wiping a tear from her face. Her feelings for Frank were starting to overwhelm her and she wasn't sure how to handle it. She tried to control her emotions but just being near him right then made it worse. Pushing past him, Nancy ran out the front door, almost barreling over Amelia and James as they came in with several bags. Frank ran past them as well, concern written across his face. Amelia and James looked at each in alarm but didn't pursue the couple. They went inside with their bags just as Frank caught up with Nancy down the street.

"Nancy, tell me what is wrong!" he cried, grabbing a hold of her arm and turning her toward him. Frank was shocked to see her sobbing uncontrollably. He hugged her close, feeling her body heave with emotion. Frank didn't know what to do or say other than to comfort her.

"I…I'm so sorry," Nancy finally sputtered out. She looked up at Frank, seeing the concern he held for her. "I heard what you said to Kyla and…and I feel like this is never going to end. I want nothing more than to be with you but what if we never get the chance because of Powers. How can we go on knowing that it may all come crashing down?"

"I can't tell you that. No one can," Frank said calmly. He looked into her eyes, seeing the pain. "What I told you yesterday is what had been sitting on my heart for _years_ , not months. I felt this way nearly since the moment we met all those years ago but I never realized it until now. I would go to the ends of the earth just to be with you. I know this life is not what we want and it pains me to see us struggle with it. I love you more than anything and nothing would ever change that. You are my world. When we were with Powers, I wanted to tear him apart for what he did to you. If anything ever happened to you, I don't know what I'd do."

Nancy was silent for a few moments, taking in what Frank just said. In truth, she always felt the same way, only thinking it was nothing. She thought of him when he was out for three weeks. Her heart almost died with him on those days she sat vigil next to him, waiting for his eyes to open.

"You scared the crap out of me!" Nancy finally cried, hitting him the chest. "You were out for so long, I gave up hope! I…I can't lose you too!"

She broke down into more tears, leaning her head against his chest. Frank realized why she ran away. She wasn't just afraid of never being with him. Nancy was afraid of losing him just as much as he was afraid of losing her.

"I will never leave you again, Nancy," Frank said quietly into her ear. "I promise."

They continued embracing in the street until Nancy calmed down enough to let go. Frank caressed her cheek, wiping away her tears. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to have her love. Her bright blue eyes looked into his own and he knew the pain was draining away. She smiled, touching his face and stood up on her toes to kiss him, neither one caring if someone saw them.

* * *

Ten minutes later, they walked hand-in-hand back to the house. They didn't want the moment to end but knew they needed to return to the house before the others got worried. Amelia and James were preparing dinner as Drew, who was finally off the phone, was setting the table. All three of them stopped what they were doing when Frank and Nancy stepped inside.

"Everything okay?" Amelia asked, continuing her dinner duties. James and Drew didn't say a word but kept looking over at the couple, wondering if there was going to be another fight.

"Yes, sorry about that," Nancy answered. She reluctantly let go of Frank's hand and went to help Amelia only to be shooed away.

"We've got this, Nancy," Amelia said, pushing her out of the kitchen.

"Did you find out anything through your contact, Drew?" Frank asked.

"Yes, but it can wait," Drew answered, not looking at him. "We can't do anything until he gets back with me anyway. Go, get out of here. Like Amelia said, we got this."

"Oh, okay," Frank said, walking away. He didn't understand why no one wanted their help as Nancy followed him out of the room just as confused. The two decided to go out onto the beach and wait for the call for dinner.

"What do you think happened?" James asked, once they were out of earshot. Amelia shrugged as she cooked the fish in the pan, the smell emanating through the house.

"I don't know and it concerns me," she said. "I thought we were over the fights but I don't think that was what it was. But then again, it really isn't any of our business as to what happened. We probably won't know either unless they decide to say something."

"God, does that smell good," Drew said, interrupting their conversation. He walked over and tried to pick at the fish only to get slapped by Amelia. "Are we ready?"

"Yes, go get Frank and Nancy, please."

Soon they were all sitting around the table, enjoying the meal Amelia and James prepared. Their laughter rang through the house as Drew told a joke, the earlier incident completely forgotten. Nancy kept taking Frank's food from his plate, playfully throwing it back at him. Amelia smiled but still was concerned about Nancy's breakdown earlier. Neither one of them gave light as to why it happened or what they talked about.

After dinner was over, Nancy and Amelia cleaned up the kitchen with the older woman trying her best to get anything out of the younger one. The two soon were cleaning the dishes in silence as the others watched a rousing soccer game on TV, though Frank didn't seem to enjoy it as much as the other two.

"Give me American football any day over this," he huffed on the couch.

"How can you say that?" cried Drew, looking at Frank incredulously. "Don't say that around here. The locals may call you crazy."

"I have to agree with Frank on this one," James smiled. "Although soccer can be enjoyable to watch at times, give me some college ball or even NFL for better entertainment."

"Oh, no," Drew said, holding up his hands. "Soccer is life here and I've learned to accept it over the past several years of living in Europe. I always thought the NFL were overpaid bullies who spent too much money while college football had too many rivalries."

"Whatever," Frank laughed. "The rivalries are the best part about college ball!"

"Okay, if you're so well in tune to the rivalries of college football," Drew challenged him, "which one is the greatest?"

"I'm not a fan of either one but Michigan-Ohio State, hands down. No other one can match it."

"I have to give you that one. You know your football." Drew nodded. The rest of the game was uneventful without a stirring ending and the TV was shut off the moment it was over. Nancy was upstairs already while Amelia was wiping down the table. As it was getting late, the others decided to go on to bed after closing up the house.

Amelia walked into the bedroom to find Nancy already dressed for bed and reading a book. She looked up before putting it onto the bedside table.

"Are you sure everything is okay?" Amelia asked her when she closed the door.

"Of course, why wouldn't it be?" Nancy responded, turning off her light and snuggling into bed. "Frank and I talked it over. It was just a fear that we worked out."

"Okay," Amelia replied, getting into bed. "I'm always here if you need me."

"I know," Nancy mumbled from the other bed. She was already asleep when Amelia rolled over in her own bed. The older woman fell asleep with troubled thoughts running through her head.

* * *

Nancy woke in the middle of the night from a restless sleep. She didn't cry out but she was sweating from the nightmare she had. Looking over at Amelia, Nancy saw that the woman was fast asleep, lightly snoring. The alarm clock read after one in the morning, the moonlight shining through the open window. Drawing back the covers, she tiptoed to the door, closing it softly after she went through. Nancy was about to go downstairs when she noticed a light peaking through the bottom of Frank's door. Knocking lightly, Nancy cracked the door just a bit to see Frank passed out on the bed, a book left open on his stomach. She watched him sleep, seeing the scars on his chest for the first time, her nightmare about him still fresh in her mind. Slipping into the room, Nancy closed the door behind her. Frank never stirred as she walked slowly over to him and pulled the book off of him.

She turned off the light and was about to leave when she stopped herself, looking back at him. He slept peacefully, not knowing she was there. Nancy bit her lip nervously, contemplating her next move. She didn't want to have the nightmare again only to come back to where she now stood. Knowing she wanted to stay, Nancy walked slowly around to the other side of the bed and crawled in. She kept her distance so as not to wake Frank and felt him shift slightly. As she got comfortable and closed her eyes, Nancy felt a hand on her arm, startling her.

"Are you all right, Nancy?" he whispered in her ear.

"I…I couldn't sleep," she lied, turning toward him. "I saw your light on and came in. I'm sorry I woke you."

"It's okay," Frank replied calmly. "It was a nightmare, wasn't it?"

"Yes," Nancy sniffled, feeling dejected. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Well, I'm fine." He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. "I'm here now."

"I know," she mumbled, snuggling into his arms. The world around her grew darker as she closed her eyes, falling into a wonderful, peaceful slumber, wrapped in the comfort of Frank's strong arms.


	17. Chapter 16

**Author's Note:**

 **Again, I'm late in updating the chapter. Been very busy this week. Anyway, this chapter turned out longer than I thought it would be but I feel that it was worth it. As Colonel Sandurz from "Spaceballs" once said, "Prepare to fast-foward!" So enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review!**

Chapter Sixteen

The next morning, Frank woke before Nancy, easing his way out of bed so he wouldn't disturb her. She looked so beautiful to him, lying on the pillow with her hair flared out. Nancy sighed deeply in her sleep as if something blissful was going on in her dreams.

Frank went into the master bathroom and showered, letting the water drain off of him as he thought about a few things. His life felt so different compared to what it was just seven months before. He wondered how long it was going to take to bring down Powers. He missed his family and Frank knew when they arrived in New York, he would be tempted to make the trip to Bayport. Even if he couldn't say hello, he could at least make sure his parents and Joe were okay. Maybe take Nancy with him just so he wouldn't be alone to do something stupid.

Once he was dressed, Frank found Nancy still fast asleep. Although he didn't really want to wake her, he knew she had to get up sometime as it was almost nine in the morning. Sitting down on the bed next to her, Frank lightly caressed her cheek, eventually leaning over to kiss her forehead as she finally stirred.

"Good morning, sunshine," he whispered. Nancy smiled and stretched, finally opening her eyes to look at him.

"Hey," she said softly. Seeing that he was dressed, Nancy looked at the clock and gasped. "How did I sleep so late?"

"You needed it, so don't be upset," Frank said with a smile. "Get dressed and I'll meet you downstairs for breakfast…or brunch, whatever you want to call it. We'll think of something to do today since we have to wait."

"Okay." She smiled but held on to his hand as he tried to get up. "Frank?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too." Frank bent over and kissed her tenderly on the lips. "See you downstairs."

He saw her get out of bed as he left the room and headed for the kitchen. The house was quiet though the back door stood open, the breeze blowing in. Amelia, James, and Drew were nowhere around. Frank found a note taped to the refrigerator door and sighed as he read Amelia's scribble. The three had taken the boat back to the dock and would be back later. Shrugging, he really didn't understand why all three of them had to go but Frank felt so be it.

Looking into the refrigerator, he found eggs and bacon plus a few ingredients to make omelets as he waited for Nancy. Just as he was finishing up with the bacon and hot coffee brewing, Nancy came bounding down the stairs in an airy sundress. She looked ready for a day at the beach with her hair pulled up into a messy bun and bag filled with her towel and other items. Frank imagined that she already had a suit on underneath the dress she wore.

"Where is everybody?" Nancy asked looking around. He explained the note as he placed the plate in front of her. She smiled brightly up at him.

"Smells delicious! I'm impressed!" The two enjoyed their brunch together, laughing at jokes and stories. The day looked to be pristine as they washed their dishes and clean up the kitchen. Frank went upstairs to change again as Nancy got her bag ready for the short walk to the beach.

"All set?" Frank said as he came down the stairs with his towel. The couple walked out onto the beach, enjoying the smell of the sea air and waves crashing nearby.

"God, I love it here!" Nancy cried.

"You do?" Frank asked surprised, looking at her.

"Well, yeah," she shrugged. "It's peaceful, beautiful and no one knows we're here. What else could you ask for?"

He watched her take off toward the waves, thinking about what she said. She was right. The place was perfect and he knew they needed someplace to return to when they came back to Europe. His thoughts stopped as he saw Nancy take off her sundress revealing a bikini he didn't know was there. She rushed to the water only to get tackled from behind by Frank. They landed in the waves, laughing as they came up with not a care in the world and all thoughts of William Powers drifted away with the sea.

* * *

Several hundred miles away and a week later, Powers himself listened to Nathan speak about their new distribution center in the states.

"We will be done, sir," Nathan replied, "within by the middle of August. Might I suggest we send the drugs that are ready to the center in Detroit?"

"No!" Powers cried. "I want them sent to the new one as soon as it's ready. What is taking so long?"

"We had a little bit of a glitch in acquiring the warehouse we needed," Nathan explained. "Once the owner was out, the place was bought using a dummy corporation but we had to buy several other places in order to shift attention away from the one we wanted. The man didn't want to sell so we had to make it look like an accident."

"Uh huh," Powers said looking at the paperwork in front of him. "Will there be any suspicion that it's there?"

"As far as we know, none whatsoever," Nathan nodded. "Right now, we are preparing security for all the warehouses so no one can figure out which one it is plus the storage units."

"Good, keep me posted." Powers stopped what he was doing and looked up at Anna, who was standing silently behind Nathan. "What about your one job?"

"No one has seen them, sir," she replied nervously. "Even when our contact released those photos last week, no one came forward. It's as if they dropped off the face of the planet."

"No, they didn't, you moron," Powers grumbled. Anna cringed back a little. "They're still here and prime for the picking. We just need to give a little more incentive to find them."

He sat quietly, thinking as the other two shifted between their feet. Powers knew Hardy wouldn't return to the states right away and his instincts were telling him that they were keeping a low profile away from the cities.

"Double the reward money," Powers said suddenly. "Preferably alive though slightly tainted would be fine. Make sure you put out there that she's has a broken wrist. Can't heal that fast."

"Yes, sir," Anna replied, bowing her head. She turned to leave with Nathan.

"Oh, and Anna?" Powers looked directly at her. "Don't fail me anymore or your contact will no longer have someone to care about."

* * *

Drew finally got the call from his contact around the same time as Powers had his conversation. Their start date was set for the first of August so the group decided to leave towards the end of July. Kyla called the day before with information about when the package was to arrive plus their new names in order to plan their flights. Once everything was done, there was really nothing left to do.

One morning, Frank was up and out of bed before everyone else. He walked down to the landlord's house nearby in order to make a deal with him. Thankfully, the man knew how to speak English and the two struck a deal making each one of them very happy. And when Frank returned to the house, he had a skip in his step shocking the others as he entered the kitchen.

"Yeah, and what are you so chipper about?" James asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Well, since we've been here so long without anyone figuring it out," Frank explained. "I bought the house!"

"No way!" Drew cried.

"What possessed you to do that?" James asked strangely.

"I think it's a great idea!" Amelia said enthusiastically.

"Nancy gave me the idea last week," Frank said, looking down at her. "She likes the place and we all feel safe. Besides, when we return to Europe after we're done at home, we're going to need someplace to stay to remain under the radar. We just have to take care of some security issues discreetly. Alex has agreed to remain the groundskeeper as well. We'll be paying him a stipend to maintain the house while we're gone. By the way, where is Nancy?"

"She went for a walk on the beach," Amelia answered. "We were all surprised when you weren't here this morning so she went out on her own."

"Okay, I'm going to go find her," Frank said excitedly, heading toward the back door. "Are we ready to go? Everything in place?"

"We're good, now go!" Drew said.

"Are we sure this is a good idea?" James asked once Frank was gone. "He's too impulsive."

"I know," Amelia said, "but I think it's great and you saw how he was. This is his first major buy and we should be happy."

"I don't know though," James said. "I just don't know."

* * *

The last day finally came. Frank and Nancy went to Athens in order to pick up their new IDs and passports, deciding to stay overnight in a hotel. Their flight was leaving earlier than the others as they all decided to take separate flights on different airlines to avoid being seen as a group. Drew would leave on a flight soon after and James and Amelia were on a flight together though in different seats.

"I can't believe it's been almost eight months since we left," Nancy replied, buckling her seatbelt in their first class seats. Frank was sitting next to her getting situated, both of them had a glass of champagne sitting in front of them, courtesy of the airline.

"Yeah, I know," he answered with a sad smile. "I hope nothing happens while we're there."

"You worry too much," she said, taking his hand in hers. "It's kind of interesting though that Kyla gave us passports with the same last name. Was she giving us a hint or something? Or did you put her up to it?"

"I didn't tell her to do that," Frank said innocently, though his face turned red. "I gave her suggestions, that's all."

"Uh huh," Nancy looked at him skeptically, a smirk on her face.

"Geez, why doesn't anyone believe me anymore?" he asked, looking slightly forlorn.

"Oh, hon," she laughed. "It's because you're not believable…and you're a terrible liar."

"Thanks, Nan," Frank said sarcastically. He leaned over and kissed her. "Do you think we can pretend we're just coming back from our honeymoon?"

"But we're not married," she whispered, nuzzling his nose.

"I know that," he spoke softly, "but our passports say otherwise. No one really knows."

"Maybe." Nancy smiled looking into his eyes. Her heart was bursting with the thought of being with him plus the chance to be near home for the first time in months. Frank leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.

"I wonder what Joe is up to?" he asked suddenly.

"Yeah, I wonder how Dad is going," she said quietly. As the thoughts of their families went through their minds, Frank felt that at some point while they were in New York, he was going to have to take a trip to Bayport to see them.

* * *

After a long nap and an in-flight movie, the two finally heard the pilot announce they would be landing shortly. Nancy looked out the window to New York City below. The Statue of Liberty and, eventually the Freedom Tower came into view, making her homesick even more. Frank stared blankly out the window beside, thinking the same thing. New York City was close to his home.

Their worry about going through customs soon diminished as Frank and Nancy were both ushered through without problem. Kyla made sure their passports were stamped from other countries in order to continue the façade of coming home from their honeymoon. As Frank waited for their luggage to come in, Nancy stood at the rental agency counter for their rental car, making sure that it was an SUV large enough for later use. Soon they were driving away from the city in a late model Ford Explorer towards their hotel twenty miles from Bayport.

Once checked into their suite, Nancy heaved a sigh of relief. Frank smiled at her from a distance. Their suite wasn't extravagant but it was still nice and comfortable with a sitting room.

"It feels good to be back," she said softly. "It seems like we've been gone for years."

"I know," he said, walking over to the bed and laying beside her. "Feels weird though. Being so close to home and can't really go see anyone, not that we have the time or opportunity."

"You are such a liar," Nancy replied. She leaned on her elbow, looking down at him. "I know you too well, Frank Hardy, and you have an idea floating through that head of yours."

"I do not!" he cried back. "You know as well as I do we can't go see them even though we're, what? Twenty-thirty minutes away. It would be dangerous."

"Mm hmm." Nancy looked at him skeptically. She knew he was thinking of going home even though he was denying it. There were times though, when she forgot who she was looking at because of his change in appearance. Then Nancy would look into his eyes and she recognized the man she'd grown to love. That was what she was worried about if he returned home. Someone getting close enough to take get a good look.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"Not one bit. You're itching to go back to Bayport. I can see it in your eyes."

Frank gave her a look and he tickle-attacked her, causing Nancy to squeal in delight. Laughing, she asked him to stop eventually kissing. Nancy's phone rang, interrupting them. Frank remembered telling the others to call once they landed and rolled his eyes as he saw that it was Amelia.

"That woman has the worst sense of timing," Frank muttered, getting off the bed. Nancy threw a pillow at him as he walked away saying he was going to shower.

"We just landed, dear," Amelia stated when Nancy answered the phone.

"Great," Nancy said. She heard the shower come on in the bathroom and her shoulders drooped slightly. The bedside clock read six in the evening. They had only been back on US soil for two hours and Nancy was already starting to feel tired from the jet lag. The two women discussed their plans for the next morning when Nancy yawned loudly prompting Amelia to say something.

"Get some rest, dear. See you tomorrow."

Once the call ended, Nancy put her phone down and flopped back onto the bed. She felt gross from the long flight and desperately wanted to check out the Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. Closing her eyes, she drifted off not hearing the bathroom door open a few minutes later.

"Thanks, Amelia," grumbled Frank when he saw Nancy sprawled out on the bed, fast asleep. He tried his best to move her into the bed only to keep her on top with the covers folded over. Kissing her on the forehead, Frank went into the sitting room and turned on the TV.

After a while, he grew tired but was still hungry and decided to order room service. He ordered for the both of them just in case. It was almost seven-thirty when someone knocked on the door and the attendant came in with the cart of food. Frank took the lid off a plate, the smell wafting throughout the room.

"God, I missed these!" Frank said to himself, looking at the burger and fries before him.

"Mmm! What smells so good?" came a voice from the other room. Frank laughed as Nancy scrambled off the bed, practically attacking him for the burger.

"I got you a salad," Frank said, pointing to the other plate.

"What! You got yourself a burger and me a salad?" she cried. "What kind of sick joke…" Nancy stopped as she lifted the other lid to see a burger with fries sitting on the plate. "You're a jerk, you know that!"

She hit him on the arm several times with him crying out, laughing. Nancy finally calmed down, taking a bite of the burger and savoring every piece. The two were almost finished with their meal within twenty minutes, having practically inhaled their burgers after seven months of not having one.

"That hit the spot," Frank said, finishing off his fries. He eyed Nancy's dwindling pile.

"Don't even think about it, Hardy," Nancy warned, not looking at him. She knew his strategy but was a bit slow when he snatched the largest fry from her plate. "Hey!"

"As if you could stop me!" Frank laughed. Her mouth dropped open at his snarkiness and she took her plate away from him over to the bed.

"I hate you," Nancy huffed sarcastically. She took a few fries and popped them into her mouth.

"Sure you do," he smirked, crossing his arms and leaning back on the couch.

"I guess you're sleeping there tonight, fry stealer," Nancy said smartly. Frank looked up at her shocked and walked over to the bed. "You know better than to touch someone else's fries!"

"Oh, really?" He stopped feet from her poised for an attack she didn't know was coming. Nancy's eyes narrowed, watching and waiting for him to strike, her hands covering the remaining fries. Before he could do anything, she grabbed the last fries and stuffed them all in her mouth, cheeks bulging.

As she chewed through, Nancy slowly got up off the bed opposite Frank. She smiled smugly, swallowing. He suddenly ran around the bed when she tried to run into the bathroom, giggling. Frank threw her down onto the bed, the plate silently falling to the floor. He began kissing her on the neck, making her laugh. Nancy was still giggling when she looked over at the TV still on and gasped.

"What?" Frank asked, stopping. He looked down at her concerned then followed her gaze to the TV. His mouth dropped open. "Oh, shit."

Scrambling off the bed, the two rushed over to the screen and turned up the volume. The headline on the news read "Fugitive caught reentering the country," with a photo of James being escorted away in handcuffs.


	18. Chapter 17

**Author's note:**

 **I know I am getting this out a day early but I felt it was just too good to publish later. Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing! Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review!**

Chapter Seventeen

"What happened, Amelia?" Frank cried into the phone. "You told us you landed safely!"

"I know!" she cried back. "We acted like we didn't know each other the whole flight. No one knew we were together but he entered Customs after me. I didn't know anything until it was on the news while I had to wait for my luggage, which is what delayed me anyway. I'm sorry!"

"It's okay," he said, calming down to comfort her. "It's why we took separate flights but I wanted you two 'together' just in case. The only problem is that someone's going to figure out we're here at some point."

"Are you still going ahead to the ranch tomorrow?"

"We'll stick to the plan unless we have to change it so, yes. We just may not stay as long as we intended. Where are you now?"

"The traffic is awful so I'm just now getting to the hotel. I'll be there in a few minutes. Why?"

"Don't come here," he warned. "We're checking out first thing in the morning. If they figure out the hotel, the feds are going to swarm this place. I don't want you to get caught too."

"Okay," Amelia said. "What do you want me to do?"

"Drew is at another hotel already," Frank stated. He gave her the address and room number. "Stay with him tonight and we'll meet you in the morning at our rendezvous."

"See you soon."

"What are we going to do?" Nancy asked once he got off the phone.

"Nothing we can do until morning," Frank stated. It was already nine in the evening and they were both exhausted. "If we leave now, it may rouse suspicion. I want us to keep a low profile until we leave."

The two soon decided that they should turn in for the night and they soon were asleep under the covers. Their thoughts roamed as to how they were going to have their plan fulfilled without James in the picture.

* * *

"Ma'am, I think we may have a lead," the agent said into the phone. "There's a couple fitting a close description to the two you were asking about. Earlier this evening, they checked into the same hotel Mr. Matthews' alias was registered at."

"How do we know it's them?" she asked. "I don't want any mistakes."

"Their appearance is different but facial recognition could probably confirm if we have a photo," the agent replied.

"How did you get this information?"

"Someone spotted them in the lobby before the broadcast," he said. "Then a room service attendant called it in later. Do you want me to send some agents to check it out?"

"No," she said. "I'll deal with it myself. I'll be there within the hour."

"Yes, ma'am."

The moment she got off the phone with the agent, she dialed another number. She gave information about the hotel and room number. She had a feeling it was them without even checking it out herself beforehand. Once she was done with the second phone call, she leaned back in her seat and sighed, wondering if she made the right decision.

* * *

Nancy woke that night in a sweat. She felt something was off and looked at the clock. It read almost three am. Frank was still asleep next to her as she got off the bed to go into the bathroom. Even though she threw water onto her face to clear her head, Nancy still felt off. She rushed out of the bathroom and woke Frank.

"What is it?" he said groggily.

"I want to go, now," she said quickly. Nancy began throwing clothes into her overnight bag, leaving out a few to wear.

"Why?" Frank yawned. He slowly got up and looked at the clock, rolling his eyes.

"I have a bad feeling," Nancy said nervously. "Something just doesn't feel right."

"Okay, we'll leave." Frank knew not to go against her intuition even though he didn't feel he should indulge her. It was, though, almost as accurate as his own but he hoped she was wrong this time. The two silently and quickly made sure they had everything packed before heading to the door. He even took a towel and wiped down everything that might leave fingerprints just in case. Frank stopped Nancy before she walked out.

"I'll take the bags and meet you downstairs," he said, taking her bag. "You come down in a few minutes on the other stairwell. I'll meet you near the door with the car."

"No! Don't leave me, Frank!" Nancy pleaded.

"You'll be fine," he assured her and gave her a kiss. "Trust me. I'll see you soon."

"Okay," she nodded her head, tears flowing. Frank hadn't seen her this upset in a while so he knew whatever she sensed was terrifying her. Frank left her in the room and rushed down to the stairwell closest to their room. The door closed behind him just as the elevator dinged open down the hall.

Nancy waited a few minutes, pacing the whole time, before heading to the door. She knew Frank was only trying to protect her but something was still wrong. She knew it. Leaving earlier than Frank told her to, Nancy opened the door to go out. A familiar, unwanted man smiled at her from the hallway. Her eyes went wide with fear as she tried to close the door again but he proved to be too strong for her, pushing it open and throwing her to the ground. Nancy cried out in pain as she landed on her bad wrist. She scrambled away from him as he closed the door but she didn't get far. The man picked her up and slammed Nancy into the wall, holding her up by her neck.

"Well, well, well," William Powers sneered at her, "if it isn't the lovely Miss Drew. You changed your hair. It doesn't suit you very well, my dear. Tell me, where is Frank?"

"Go to hell," she sputtered out. Her fingers scratched into his hand as he squeezed her neck harder.

"Such manners!" Powers tsked. "You know I don't like it when people keep things from me. I'm going to ask again. Where. Is. Frank?"

Nancy kicked Powers as hard as she could though it only doubled his strength over her. She was starting to see stars from lack of air when he suddenly let go of her. Nancy crashed to the ground, gasping and coughing for air. He roughly pulled her up and threw her across the room onto the bed. Although still coughing, Nancy searched the room for any kind of weapon but he pounced on her before she could find anything. Powers held her wrists painfully above her head with one hand while the other was wrapped again around her neck. He looked at her sinisterly.

"You know, Miss Drew," he slithered. Powers took a whiff of her perfume. "I could do whatever I wanted to with you and there would be no one to stop me. But I won't. What I will do is say one little word and you are going to tell me everything."

Nancy's eyes went wide and shook her head, struggling to get out from under him. Powers smiled gleefully as he leaned over and whispered something into her ear. A single tear rolled out of her eyes as they glazed over. She stopped struggling with him.

"Now, that's better," Powers said, letting go of her wrists. He caressed her cheek softly. "Where is Frank?"

"He's waiting for me downstairs in the parking lot," Nancy said monotonously. Her blue eyes stared blankly at the ceiling though tears continued to fall.

"Well then, let's go find him, shall we?" Powers rose and held his hand out to her though she didn't take it. Nancy slowly got off the bed and stood waiting. "What is he driving?"

"A…sedan," she said. The two walked out of the room where Nathan and another man waited. Powers gave orders to the man while passing Nancy off to Nathan. The man disappeared to look for Frank. They took the elevator down and escorted her to a waiting limo out front. The other man soon returned empty-handed.

"Are you sure she was telling the truth, sir?" asked Nathan as they drove off.

"There's no way she can't, Nathan," Powers stated annoyed. "We have her. Hardy will come to us. You'll see."

* * *

Frank moved the Explorer to the side entrance and turned off the car to wait. After several minutes, he immediately knew something was wrong. Where he parked he had a view of the main entrance to the hotel and noticed a limo sitting under the awning. Running a hand through his hair nervously, Frank debated checking out the car. He didn't have long to wait though as he saw a familiar face walk out with Nancy in tow.

"No, no, no!" he said to himself. When he saw Powers follow behind Nathan and Nancy, Frank knew he should have taken her instinct more seriously. Somehow, someone figured out they were there and, apparently, which room they were in. He then noticed another man walking through the parking lot, looking inside cars, searching. Frank took the keys out of the ignition and quickly climbed over the seat to hide just as the man rounded the car next to his. Thanking god for tinted windows, Frank waited silently as the man passed by the SUV without so much as a look.

Checking up over the seat, he watched as the man walked over to the limo and climb in. Moments later, the car pulled away and onto the main road. Frank hurried back to the front seat and started the car to follow them. He almost missed the limo but was eventually was able to catch up to them, keeping his distance on the nearly empty road. As they turned onto the highway, Frank had a sinking feeling as to where they were going. Soon enough, the exit came up and the limo got off though Frank remained on the highway. He cursed himself for leaving Nancy alone after she begged him not to. If he had taken her with him, she wouldn't be in the hands of Powers. Heading for the hotel where Drew and Amelia were staying, Frank had trouble thinking of anything except the guilt he had for leaving Nancy. He knew though, he was going to have to go back to the one place he had been avoiding.

* * *

Amelia woke up to the sound of pounding on the hotel door. Drew turned on the light, a gun in his hand as he crept to the door. Peering through the peep hole, he saw Frank on the other side, looking upset. The moment Drew opened the door, Frank rushed in, rambling about something.

"Woah, slow down, bud," Drew said calmly. "What's going on?"

"We have to go," Frank said quickly. "They have Nancy."

"Who has her?" Amelia asked, rushing over. Frank explained what happened, most of which suddenly became incoherent to the other two as he continued to ramble.

"It's my fault!" he cried, running a hand through his hair. "I left her! Why did I leave her? I don't even know how they knew we were there!"

"Wait a minute," Drew said. "Powers knew where you were? Did he know your room number?"

"Probably. I don't know," Frank replied. He sat down on the end of one of the beds and put his head in his hands. "She begged me not to leave her. She was the one with the bad feeling and woke up early. She said she couldn't shake it that something was wrong. I almost didn't believe her but I didn't want to go against her wishes. Why…why did I leave her?"

"Frank, calm down, please," Amelia said calmly, kneeling before him. "We need you to think clearly and help us get her back. It's not your fault, dear. Even you couldn't have predicted what happened."

"Did you happen to follow them?" Drew asked, pulling on a shirt.

"Of course I did," Frank snapped. "I tailed them until they got off the highway. There was only one town at that particular exit."

"Where are they then?" Drew asked. Frank looked at him, eyes filled with tears.

"Bayport."


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Agent Davis walked into the airport police after getting off her private plane. Several other agents met her there, awaiting her orders. They were trying to keep the media at bay, who had already begun to swarm the airport. She didn't want to deal with the issues of the media and, to her, it got worse when she caught sight of both Carson Drew, who had taken a redeye that morning, and Fenton Hardy. They both were waiting for her in the hallway leading to the interrogation room.

"I don't have time for this," she said, trying to blow them off. The two followed her down the hall towards where James was being held.

"You need to make the time," Carson replied. "We need to know what is going on with our kids and where they might be. James is the only one who knows that."

"Yes, and he's _my_ responsibility right now," Davis snapped back. "Not yours. We have it all in hand and I don't want two fathers to walk in on him and beat the crap out of my prisoner. Too much paperwork. I will let you know if you can see him. That's all I can do."

"Can we at least watch the interrogation?" Carson asked.

"Are you asking as his lawyer or is this personal?" Agent Davis asked, whirling around to face him. She sighed knowing neither one of them were going to let her off easily. "Fine. I'll let you watch but do not try to interfere or I'll throw you out myself."

"Thank you."

She led them to a room that had a view of where James sat handcuffed to a table. As much as it gave Carson pleasure to see his old friend in handcuffs, he wondered if James should be there in the first place. Nancy did tell him to trust the man. Fenton took up a spot next to him as they watched Agent Davis walk in with a file folder.

"James Matthews," she replied, opening up the file folder. "You are a hard man to find. My name is Special Agent Pauline Davis. I am in charge of the investigation into the disappearance of Dr. Amelia Foster, Nancy Drew, and Frank Hardy. Do you have any idea where those three might be?"

"I haven't got a clue," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"I know you're lying," Davis said. "There are several people who know you were with them as early as six weeks ago. Are you telling me they're lying?"

"No, I _was_ with them then," James looked at her. "I haven't been in quite some time though. Couldn't tell you where they are now."

"Maybe I should let your 'lawyer' come in, Mr. Matthews. Maybe he'll be able to get it out of you."

James face went white, as he looked over at the two-way mirror. He knew exactly who she was talking about but he didn't think the man was there already.

"No, I'm telling you the truth," he pleaded. "I don't know where they're at."

"Okay, keep saying it to yourself," Agent Davis smirked. "You wouldn't happen to know why a couple matching Miss Drew and Mr. Hardy's description checked into the same hotel yesterday that your alias was registered at? Tell me that."

Carson and Fenton looked at each other. Neither one of them knew of this information and were surprised to hear that Nancy and Frank were so close.

"Coincidence," James shrugged again, though he looked nervous.

"Too bad they were gone by the time we got there," she said. "That was just over an hour ago. Looked like they left in a hurry. We're currently dusting for prints to find any matches."

"Wouldn't know."

"Uh huh, if you decide to change your mind, you know where to find me. You'll be transferred to my custody within the next few hours. Enjoy what freedom you have left, Mr. Matthews."

She left him sulking and handcuffed to the table. James cursed himself for getting caught. If he hadn't been delayed getting to Customs, he wouldn't have been chosen for a random finger printing. He looked over at the two-way mirror again, hoping that whoever was watching would be able to get him out of there before that woman took him away. There was something about her he couldn't quite put his finger on.

* * *

Joe was in the kitchen, eating a morning snack. His dad wouldn't let him go to see James in New York City so he was a little miffed when his phone went off with a message. He wasn't sure who it was as the number was unfamiliar but the message seemed urgent.

 _Alley now,_ was all it read. Knowing it could be Frank, Joe got up and scribbled a note saying he'd be back later. The air was warm when he walked outside, noting that it would probably be another hot summer day. When Joe entered the alley behind the house, didn't see anyone and wondered if it was a joke of some sort. Then he saw an Explorer pull into the alleyway and head towards him. It stopped right in front of him, the window coming down revealing a smiling older man in his fifties.

"You must be Joe," he said cheerfully. Joe looked at him skeptically, wondering who the man was. The man laughed at him. "You give the same look as your brother when you don't trust someone. I'm Drew. Amelia sent me. Come on."

Recognition came across Joe's face when the man mentioned Amelia but then he also remembered the name Drew. Without any more hesitation, Joe rushed around the car and got in the front passenger seat. Drew was the only one in the car and he apologized that Amelia wasn't there.

"She had to go get another friend," he explained as he drove off. "She'll be back later though."

"But why am I here now?" Joe finally asked, watching the town around him.

"Well, we need your help on something," Drew said seriously. He kept checking his mirrors every time they turned. "You'll see when we get there."

"Okay, I'm not sure what I can help you with," Joe said. Drew turned to look at him, concern written across his face.

"It's your brother." Joe's face went white, thinking the worst happened but Drew reassured him that Frank was fine. "He doesn't know I did this but I'm hoping that you'll be able to get him to think clearly."

"Why? What happened?"

"I'll have him tell you when we get there." Joe sat in silence as they got onto the highway. He wondered what had made Drew contact him to help with Frank and why his brother was acting strangely.

"You're the one who helped in Paris, aren't you?" Joe said finally.

"One of them, yes," Drew smiled. "It felt good to help out like that. Especially when it comes to Nancy and your brother. They're good people just like James is."

"Don't tell that last part to my dad or Mr. Drew," Joe laughed. "They wouldn't trust James with a puppy."

"James is a good guy," Drew stated. "He had his moments when he was in his dark place. But he got over it and the one person who did that was Nancy. Here we are."

Drew pulled the Explorer into the parking lot of a hotel and cut the engine. The two got out and headed inside though Drew did warn Joe about something.

"I'm not sure how he's going to be," he said. "Ever since early this morning, I don't think he's seeing things the way he did before. Plus I don't know how he's going to react to you being here."

"Okay, but what happened?"

Drew sighed. "I wasn't there so I don't know the whole story. But he's been in a state of guilt ever since."

"Why?"

"Because she's gone." Drew left it at that and took him upstairs to the room. When he opened the door, the room lights were off but the curtains were open, revealing bright light. Joe walked in and Drew closed the door, leaving him alone with Frank. As he looked at the figure staring out the window, Joe almost didn't recognize his older brother with lighter hair and different hair cut.

"Frank?" Joe said nervously. The figure looked over at him, shock registering on his face.

"Joe?" he said lightly. Frank got up slowly and walked over to him. He stared in disbelief before wrapping his arms around Joe in a hug. He could feel the tension in Frank's body as he wouldn't let Joe go. Finally letting go, Frank smiled sadly at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Drew asked me to come. What's going on?"

Frank sighed, walking away. He sat back down on the chair and looked out the window again. Joe sat on the edge of the bed, concerned for his brother.

"I'm not surprised they went behind my back and brought you here," Frank said angrily. "I don't want you here, Joe. This has nothing to do with you."

"You better stop acting like this and tell me why Drew said 'she's gone.' Who's gone?"

"Nancy," Frank said after taking several minutes to answer. He looked back at Joe, his eyes filled with tears.

"Did she leave or something?" Joe asked. He had never seen Frank this upset before.

"No," he said softly. "I left her behind. I didn't believe her after everything we've been through. I left her thinking that we would be okay and he took her."

"Who took her?"

"Powers. I…I don't know how he knew we were there but he did, right down to our room number. She begged me not to leave her and what did I do? I left her behind so he could find her." Frank stopped and put his head in his hands, sobbing. Joe didn't know what to do other than to comfort him.

"It's not your fault, Frank," Joe said. "You can get her back, right? There's got to be a way."

"That's just it, Joe. I can't think straight. All I think about is her and how I didn't believe her. How can I think of getting her back if she's probably thinking I abandoned her?"

"Well, you can stop thinking that," Joe said. "You know as well as I do that Nancy is more resilient than we give her credit for. Just look at what she went through in Chicago. Look at what you went through. She's not going to be upset with you over something like this."

"You may think that about her but it's not just her I'm worried about. You don't know him, Joe," Frank said looking at him. "He's not the same as he was when we tried to put him away five years ago. He's more ruthless than he ever was before. I watched him take Nancy's wrist and break it before my eyes. He had _pleasure_ in his eyes just to see my face when he did it. Powers is using her as bait and I whole heartedly believe he activated her. She is not going to be herself and she will believe _anything_ he tells her. Nancy means everything to me and to know that she's under Powers' control right now infuriates me more than anything. I have tried to think up a plan but nothing comes out but guilt!"

"Wait a minute, did something happen between you two?"

"Yes, Joe," Frank said. "The past three weeks have been the best moments of my life with her. I can't imagine life without Nancy anymore and right now, I have to. We finally talked after months of fighting. She was so angry with me over things that happened before we even left for Europe, she was constantly biting my head off. I never realized it until she finally said something. She actually called me stubborn at one point."

"Well, you are," Joe laughed. "Just like in Chicago when she disappeared and just like right now. You need to pull your head up out of your ass and get to thinking about how to get her back. She needs you."

Frank looked at Joe, dumbfounded. He didn't know what to say but he knew Joe was right. It was as if a light bulb finally clicked on in his head and Frank finally started thinking clearly.

"I know what we need to do," he said suddenly. "But first we have to find out where they are and there's only one way we can do that: a little old fashioned digging."


	20. Chapter 19

**Author's Note:**

 **Well, I'm getting this out a little early because I'm going out of town for the weekend. I'm hoping to get some writing done this weekend but I can't promise anything. Thanks to all who continue to follow the story and review! I love hearing what you have to say! Enjoy the chapter and have a great weekend!**

Chapter Nineteen

Frank, Joe, and Drew drove to the docks later that day in order to search the warehouses near the bay. Each one was going to take a section, communicating with one another if they found anything.

"How do you know Powers is in one of these warehouses?" Joe asked before they separated.

"When I tailed them this morning, they turned away from Bayport, towards the docks and marina," Frank explained. "A small deduction would assume he has a building here for some reason. I don't think he had a boat and if he did, it wouldn't be the size of the ones in the marina."

"You're full of it, you know that," Joe joked. "You did flipped a coin, didn't you?"

"Yeah, that too," Frank laughed. "We'll meet back at the car when we're all done unless we find something."

The three separated with Drew taking the furthest warehouses, Joe taking the middle section, and Frank taking the warehouses near the docks. Each one of them had their phones ready in case it was needed. Within minutes of searching, Frank knew they were looking for a needle in a haystack. Each warehouse was too big to fully search but a quick look-see in a few of them showed that a lot were no longer in use. Even Drew and Joe were having a rough time with some of the buildings locked up tight or people were milling about, working. Those particular buildings turned out to be nothing more than legitimate businesses.

After two hours of searching, Frank got messages from both Drew and Joe that they had found nothing of importance other than empty shells of buildings. Frank came upon one that was closest to the docks. He remembered from years before that it was owned by a local merchant who used it to bring in goods from overseas. Frank was about to go in when he noticed the sign was different and realized the building had a new owner. He texted Joe, asking him about the family who owned the building and was shocked to learn that the old man died suddenly weeks before. Security was walking the perimeter of the building and Frank hid among the crates along the wall. He peeked inside one of the windows and saw the limo sitting nearby. Knowing he found the right place, he sent word to both Drew and Joe to meet him at the warehouse.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Drew asked quietly later ,hunched next to Frank.

"Absolutely," Frank nodded. He pointed into the window to show Drew the limo. "I just want to see inside and get a feel for it."

"Yeah, that's what you always say," Joe whispered. "Look what happened to the cat when he got curious! You're just as bad!"

"Besides," Drew continued, "we know where they are. Let's come up with a plan and come back!"

"No!" cried Frank, surprising Drew and Joe with his outburst. "I need to make sure she's okay! I'm just going to take a look inside."

Joe knew not to say anything more but both he and Drew were worried that Frank would get caught. It was still broad daylight so they would be more easily spotted than at night. Frank found a window nearby and crawled in quietly before the other two even knew he was gone. Joe soon followed along with Drew and once they all were inside, they heard voices talking and headed in the general direction. Hiding behind some crates, they peered around the corner to see Powers and several others standing in the middle of the open room.

"This place had better be ready soon!" Powers cried. "The shipment is ready to be unloaded and you're standing around, doing nothing!"

"What the hell is she doing here?" whispered Joe, noticing Anna Mitchell next to Powers. His phone buzzed in his pocket and he switched it off.

"She's a bitch from hell that's all I have to say," Frank muttered, remembering the smug look she gave him in Paris. He recognized Nathan as well but didn't see any sign of Nancy. Joe's phone buzzed again and he looked at his brother, annoyed. "What the hell, Joe? You can't turn your phone off?"

"It's Mom," Joe whispered. "She's been blowing up my phone for the last hour."

"You haven't called her yet?" Frank looked at him incredulously. "Even I know to answer the damn phone when she calls!"

"Will you two stop it before they hear you? You can deal with your mother later!" whispered Drew. Powers wasn't paying any attention and was still yelling at the others. Anna looked at her phone and slowly approached him.

"What?" Powers cried, annoyed.

"Our contact just gave word that the federal transport will be leaving within the next hour or so," she replied. "There will be minimal guards so we should be able to overtake it without a problem."

"Nathan," Powers looked at the man, "get some men and meet the transport. Bring that little troublemaker here and have her take care of it. Speaking of which, how is she coming along, Anna?"

"She hasn't given us any trouble, sir," Anna said nervously. "She'll be ready when you are."

"I expected as much," Powers smiled. "She's been very complacent and willing to obey since we left the hotel. Dr. Cox really did an amazing job on her."

Frank's heart sank listening to Powers. Hearing about a federal transport meant they knew when James was being transferred and would intercept it to get to him. Hearing about Nancy, though, just made everything more complicated.

* * *

"He's demanding to see his lawyer," the agent replied softly. She had taken Agent Davis aside to speak with her so Carson and Fenton would not hear.

"Damn it!" Davis cried. She looked over to where the two fathers were speaking quietly to one another. "I knew I shouldn't have said something about him being here! Is he asking for anything else?"

"No, ma'am," the agent shook her head. "He doesn't want to speak to anyone anymore until he speaks with his lawyer."

"Fine," Davis said reluctantly. She strolled over to the two men, seeing that they were speaking softly about something that was going on.

"Laura is upset," Fenton said. "She said Joe left earlier and hasn't been back since. She's getting a bit worried though I'm not. He's probably out with friends."

"Did he leave a note?" Carson asked.

"Well, yeah, so I don't understand why she's worrying. He does this all the time and he's an adult."

"I hate to interrupt the conversation," Davis replied though she was interested in what they were talking about, "but he wants to talk to you, Mr. Drew."

"Me? Why would he ask that?"

"I'm not sure and I'm reluctant to let you in for fear of what you might do to him," Davis said. "If you don't want to see him, I'm sure Mr. Matthews will understand."

"No, I'll see him," Carson said, ready to go in. "Maybe he'll give some insight as to what is going on."

"Okay, but if you try anything, I swear you'll lose your license. Understand?"

"Perfectly." He followed Davis to the room where James was but stopped him before he went in.

"I'll be next door, watching. Please don't do anything stupid." Carson nodded and walked in once she opened the door. Fenton hung back with the agent and followed her into the other room.

As Carson walked in, James straightened himself and smiled. He waited as Carson got settled in the chair before speaking.

"You look good, Carson," he said.

"Cut the crap, James," Carson growled at him, giving the man a nasty look. "What is it that you want?"

"I need your help."

"And why would I help you after everything you've done?"

"Okay, than just give me a little trust and listen to what I have to say," James leaned in and spoke softly. "Plus I will tell you how to get a hold of them."

"Why don't you tell this to Agent Davis?" Carson folded his arms and leaned back in his chair.

"Because I don't trust her," James whispered.

"You do realize that she is listening in as we speak?" Carson replied, leaning forward. He rolled his eyes to the two-way mirror as James nodded in acknowledgment.

"I know but I'm being serious," he continued, glancing at the mirror.

"Then tell me why you don't trust her but you turn to me to trust you."

James bit his lip, thinking. He knew he needed to tell Carson what happened but he was afraid of Agent Davis and what she might do. Sighing, James told Carson what transpired over the course of the past few months starting when he first contacted Amelia while in Geneva. He stopped right after the rescue in Paris, giving Carson time to let everything sink in.

"Okay, but none of this tells me why you don't trust Agent Davis," Carson stated. "What it tells me is that you practically stalked my daughter and Frank, at least keeping your distance from them."

"I was just making sure they were okay," James replied. "There was nothing malicious about what I did. Wouldn't you have done the same thing if you had the opportunity?"

Carson looked at him, not knowing what to say. He thought that he probably would have been with the two at all times but then realized he would eventually keep his distance knowing that it was their wish. Finally nodding in agreement, Carson asked him what happened after he called on their way to the hospital or wherever it was they were going then.

"We were outside Zurich for almost two weeks," James said, confirming the story heard on the news. "We were told we couldn't move Frank due to an infection that settled in but right before we left, a _female_ agent arrived with two men posing as agents. The doctor there warned us about them, saying the two men were not who they said they were. They were searching the entire building for us, so someone there knew who we were and knew we were there. This Agent Davis could easily be this agent Bianca spoke of. The only people who would know are the ones who were there and the ones they killed."

"Agent Davis said she had evidence that it was you, Nancy, and Frank along with Powers were the ones who killed those people," Carson said keeping his voice low.

"Do you honestly believe that?"

"Not at all," Carson shook his head. "It's not something either one of them would do. That woman has been acting weird since that incident occurred. I also haven't trusted her since their photos were released to the press."

"We had nothing to do with it. Honest." James waited, looking at Carson as the man took it all it. "Do you believe me now?"

"I can't believe that I'm saying this but, yes," Carson replied. He rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Tell me, what do you want me to do?"

"Get me out of here!" James cried as low as he could. He motioned for Carson to come closer. He whispered a number, saying it was a GO phone they used in case of emergencies. "Amelia carries it with her but sometimes passes it along to Drew. If she doesn't answer, he will. Either one of them will tell you what is going on with Frank and Nancy."

"Thank you, James," Carson replied, making a mental note of the phone number. "I'll see what I can do to get you out of here."

James looked surprised as Carson rose from his seat and smiled down at his old friend. There was something about the way James told the story that made him believe Agent Davis was an issue. He already didn't trust her but now Carson also wondered why the woman was insisting on taking James out of the airport so quickly. He was going to make sure she didn't get the chance. The moment he left the room, Carson got out his phone and dialed a friend of his who was a federal judge in New York.

"What's going on?" Fenton asked quietly once Carson was off the phone thirty minutes later.

"You'll see," Carson said vaguely, motioning for him to follow. He walked up to Agent Davis who was standing nearby. "I have a court order coming in that is ordering you to stop any transfer of James Matthews."

"Oh, really?" Davis raised her eyebrow. "Are you his lawyer now? As long as that paper is not in my hands, I don't have to follow the order and none of the other agents here will either. You and your friend are no longer welcome here so I suggest you get the hell out before I throw you out!"

"You have no idea who you are messing with here, Agent Davis!" cried Carson, shocking even Fenton with the strength of the words. "If you go against this order before it comes in, I will make sure that you are no longer in charge of this investigation and you get suspended!"

"Get them out of here!" she screamed at the agents nearby. Two agents each grabbed Carson and Fenton and escorted the two down the hall. The men protested the whole time while Agent Davis smirked, knowing she won the round.

Once they were in the main terminal of the airport, Carson got out his phone again and dialed the number James gave him.

"Now who you are calling?" Fenton asked.

"Someone who's going to help us faster than a judge."


	21. Chapter 20

**Author's Note:**

 **Sorry I haven't updated this in over a week. There were several factors for it including being busy on the homefront but the main one being I wanted to make sure I wanted to go down a particular path before I set it up in this chapter. At this point in time, I could have moved into four very different directions but still be able to come back to a similar, if not same, ending. The track I picked is one that I have been thinking of since I began this story back in April (or something close to it) and feel that it is the best one by far. I hope that you enjoy it and please continue with the reviews!**

* * *

Chapter Twenty

Agent Davis watched as Carson and Fenton were pushed out into the main terminal of the airport. The moment she felt they couldn't see her anymore, she whipped out her cell phone and dialed a number.

"It's me," she said quietly when someone answered. "I have a little tidbit of information for you directly from a very reliable source…Yeah, I believe Joe Hardy may have hooked up with who you're looking for…Apparently his mother is worried since he left earlier this morning and hasn't been back since nor is he answering his phone. That leaves one indication…Yes, we are still on for later. Had a little bit of a problem but it was taken care of…Carson Drew tried to get an injunction to stop me from taking Mr. Matthews…Yes, but I'm not going to follow it. I'm leaving now. See you soon."

Once she was off the phone, she walked over to the nearest agent and ordered him to get James ready to be moved. As Davis watched the man walk away, an airport officer walked up to her and handed her a fax. It was the injunction Carson spoke about but since he wasn't there to shove it in her face, Davis folded it up and placed it in her pocket. James walked down the hall flanked by two agents, stopping just before Agent Davis.

"I see your lawyer didn't get you out of here like you wanted," she smirked.

"I don't think you understand who you're dealing with when it comes to Carson Drew," he said, glaring at her. "He said he was going to get me out and I trust that he will."

"I don't see him now." Davis held up her hands, looking around. "Do you? I highly doubt Carson Drew will be able to help you out now, Mr. Matthews. Let's go."

* * *

After watching Nathan and a few men leave the warehouse, Frank, Joe, and Drew were about to sneak back out when Anna's phone rang once more. She smiled into the short conversation and walked over to Powers once again, this time keeping her voice low as she spoke. Powers looked at her then looked around the warehouse as if searching for something. A guard from outside suddenly rushed over to Powers and spoke quietly to him as well. The man slowly started to smile, continuing his search with his eyes around the warehouse. Settling his eyes on the crates where the three were hiding, Powers nodded to the other men in the room to surround the area. Frank suddenly had a bad feeling about what was going to happen next.

"Oh, this is interesting," Powers said loudly. "Frank? I know you're here!"

Drew and Joe looked over at Frank who kneeled frozen where he was. He turned and motioned for them to move before Powers' men could surround them.

"I surely think you wouldn't endanger the life of your own brother though, Frank," Powers continued. "But I have it on good authority that he's here too. This is just too great. You came here to find your girl only to find nothing. She's not here as I'm sure you've already figured that out. Do you want to see her again, Frank?"

Drew was trying to push Joe away but he wouldn't budge without Frank going with them.

"Go!" whispered Frank, pushing Joe away.

"No! I could never forgive myself if I left you here!" Joe whispered back. "You're going with us!"

"Joe, this is the one time you need to listen to me," Frank said, looking into his brother's eyes. "If you don't go with Drew now, things are not going to go well from there. All Powers has to do is say a word and you are dead! Not by his hand, but _mine_! I can't live with that! Now, go before I make Drew knock you out!"

Joe blinked at the realization of what Frank said. Knowing what happened to his father in Chicago was just an indication of what Frank was capable of if Powers did do what his brother said he would. Reluctantly, Joe followed Drew away from Frank just as Powers' men started to surround the only hiding place in the whole warehouse. He watched as Frank slowly rose from behind the crates, hands up. Joe knew Frank was sacrificing himself so that they could get away but he didn't understand why. Drew burst through the side door and ran off with Joe following close behind. Realizing that no one was following them, the two stopped just around the corner from the warehouse, panting.

"Why aren't they coming after us?" Joe asked, looking back.

"Because they have what they wanted," Drew said vaguely. He continued to pull Joe further away from the warehouse and toward the car.

"But why did we leave him?" Joe cried.

"He made his decision, Joe," Drew replied. "Frank knows what he is doing and I think we need to trust him."

"But he just got caught! How could I have left him?"

"He told you why you needed to go!" Drew pulled out a phone from his pocket that was buzzing and frowned. Joe didn't know what to say. He knew the man was right but he just didn't understand why Frank didn't come with them. Drew answered the phone cautiously as Joe followed him to the car nearby.

"Who is this?" Drew asked, a little annoyed. He gave Joe a look of surprise, his eyes going wide. "Oh, umm, hold on one second."

"What's going on? What's wrong?" Joe asked, walking up to Drew as he muted the phone.

"The man on the phone says he's Carson Drew," Drew said carefully. "Do you know him?"

"Well, yeah," Joe shrugged his shoulders. "He flew into town the moment he heard James was arrested. Dad went to meet him this morning at the airport."

"Who is he though?"

"You don't know?" Joe looked at Drew who shook his head. "He's Nancy's father."

"Oh!" Drew cried. "So he can be trusted."

"Of course he can. How do you think he would have gotten your number?"

"True," Drew replied. "Stay quiet to make sure that he doesn't know you're with me. If he is with your dad, I think you may get into some serious trouble...What can I do for you, Mr. Drew?"

"James gave me your number. I need your help with him."

"Why? What's going on?"

"An Agent Davis violated an injunction that I got to stop her from taking him into custody. I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen to him while enroute to the federal building. Do you know anything about this?"

"I heard something recently about a federal transport and a rendezvous point," Drew replied, getting into the car. He had a feeling that was what Powers was talking about while they were at the warehouse. "That could be it. If this agent is in cohorts with Powers, that would explain the phone calls we heard while we were staking a place out. Was this agent ever on the phone while in your presence?"

"No, not to my knowledge but I could have sworn I saw her pull out her phone the moment the doors closed when we were escorted to the airport main terminal," Carson stated. He paused briefly, his voice becoming muted as he spoke to someone near him. "Is there anything you can do to help him though?"

"I'll see what I can do," Drew answered. He waited for Joe to get in the car before driving away from the marina. "Is there something else you need, Mr. Drew?"

"Yes, you can tell me where my daughter is."

Drew closed his eyes briefly and sighed. He was afraid of this part the moment Joe told him who he was. Drew honestly didn't know how to tell the poor man that his daughter was again in the clutches of crazy, sadistic man.

"Hello?" Carson's voice interrupted Drew's concentration.

"I'm here. I don't know what to tell you, sir. I will take care of James and if I have the chance, I'll let you know about where she is." Joe looked at him and shook his head, trying to get Drew's attention. "Hold on again."

"What are you doing?" Joe cried when Drew muted the phone again. "He's worse than Nancy is on having a built in lie detector! He'll drill you until you tell him what he wants to know!"

"Then, what the hell am I supposed to tell him, Joe?" Drew cried back. "'Sorry but your daughter is in trouble again and I have no idea where she is?' Like he's really going to push me until I say that!"

"Yeah, he will!" Joe said. "It's why he's the best at what he does."

"Then you talk to him!"

"You told me not to say a word and I don't intend to get in trouble with not only Mr. D but also Dad! It's bad enough as it is that Mom is probably going to kill me for not answering her calls!" As if in sync with Joe's mindset, his phone buzzed again, the Hardy home phone number displayed on the screen. Joe waved his phone at Drew and finally answered the phone to hear his mother screaming at him on the other line. "I'm fine, Mom...Yes, I know I should have called you or answered the phone...No, I'm not in trouble...I'll be home later. Love you. Bye."

"I think you just pissed her off even more," Drew laughed.

"Yeah, well, you're about to piss off one of the most powerful lawyers in the country if you don't get back on the phone with him," Joe quipped back. "Be honest with him and if he asks about Frank, be honest then too."

"Fine, I'll be honest." Drew sighed loudly before going back to the phone and a very agitated Carson Drew.

* * *

"I don't think my luck could get any better!" Powers replied, smiling broadly. Frank stood before him, looking defiant and confident at the same time. He wanted to be right where he was only because Frank knew it was the only way to find out about Nancy. "To think, I thought that I was lucky this morning when I caught Miss Drew at your hotel room. Tell me, Frank, did you really leave her behind?"

"I did what I had to do. She knew it."

"Oh, I'm making sure of that," Powers stated. "I was just telling her about how you abandoned her and with the state she's in now, she'll believe anything I tell her. She's a very formidable woman too. I wanted to see what she was capable of and several of my men are nursing broken bones because of her. It was truly glorious to watch though I really wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of her kicks. I ordered a change though. Didn't really like her hair. It just didn't suit her. As for you though, I like your look. It makes you look more sleek but unpredictable."

"I don't care what you do to me, just let her go," Frank said through gritted teeth. He wanted so badly to slam his fist into Powers' smirking face.

"Words of a true hero," Powers mocked. "'Take me instead. Save the damsel in distress.' We've had this conversation before, Frank, remember? When I had you two in Paris, I was going to unleash hell on your family and on the Network who betrayed me. But those meddlesome 'friends' of yours who rescued you, that was something I never predicted would happen. I am about to remedy that when you friend Mr. Matthews arrives. I plan on having your girl take care of him. Wouldn't that be awesome to watch?"

"She wouldn't do that," Frank stated, shaking his head.

"Now, I know you're not that stupid, Frank," Powers laughed. "With Miss Drew under my control, there is nothing that I order she wouldn't do. You, of all people, know that."

"She won't do it."

"Let's see, shall we?" Powers snapped his fingers and two men grabbed Frank by the arms taking him outside. "We have to wait until Nathan returns with Mr. Matthews but we can still go see her. I'm sure it will be a lovely reunion for the two of you…oh, wait! She won't even know you're there, Frank! Silly me! I feel as if I'm forgetting something though."

As they all got onto a boat waiting at the docks, Powers turned toward Frank, thinking.

"Oh! That's right!" Powers cried. He rammed his fist into Frank's gut causing the younger man to double over, clutching his stomach. "That's for leaving before I could have my fun."

He grabbed Frank by the hair and lifted his head to meet his own.

"Now, it's your turn to 'see the light' just as your lovely friend has already done."

The boat was well on its way to a larger ship anchored at sea when Frank stood before Powers, a blank look on his face. The older man smirked as they watched the ship grow bigger in front of them, the sun starting to roll down the horizon behind them.


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

"I understand, Drew," Carson replied into the phone. Fenton waited anxiously nearby, his lips pursed. "Thank you for being honest with me and please do whatever you can to help James. Keep us posted on everything else as well."

Carson sighed loudly as he ended the call. He looked at Fenton, who was about to burst, waiting to hear whatever it was that this man Drew had said. Carson looked to his old friend and began the tough explanation that even Drew had a hard time telling. Fenton's face went white hearing what happened to his son just moments before.

"No, this is not happening again!" he cried. "We were so close, Carson! How does this keep happening?"

"I guess we just have to trust Drew and whoever is with him at the moment," Carson replied sadly. "He did say that he would do everything in his power to help James. Drew explained to me that he had been friends with him for years and would never turn his back on him."

"But what about Frank? Or Nancy?" cried Fenton. "There's got to be a way to get them back again!"

"I don't know what else he can do," Carson said. "I want Nancy back as much as you want Frank back but this is something we have to have faith in order to keep going."

Fenton looked around the terminal they were standing in. He wondered if Agent Davis already left with James and if there was any way to get him back before something bad occurred.

"Is there any way to ruin Agent Davis' career as of now?" Fenton asked hopefully. "It may make me feel a bit better considering the situation."

"As of matter of fact, there is a way," smirked Carson. "She's about to learn why it's not nice to mess with me."

* * *

An hour before sunset, Drew and Joe hid the car once again near the warehouse, waiting for Nathan to return with James. They didn't have to wait long as a dark van pulled slowly up to the warehouse and honked its horn to be let in. Getting out of their car, the two made sure they were armed and ready to fight before walking over to the warehouse. Drew went one way to find and subdue the guards patrolling while Joe took the other direction. After taking down four guards between the two of them and tying them up with zip-ties, they snuck into the warehouse just as James was pulled from the back of the van by Nathan. The sun was just setting as Drew took out his knapsack and opened it up, revealing several explosives. He pulled each one out to the amazement of Joe.

"Where did you get those?" Joe whispered.

"I have my ways, Joe," Drew winked at him. "Be ready to run once we get James out of here. The timers are going to be set for fifteen minutes so we won't have much time to get to him."

"Why only fifteen minutes? What if Frank is still here?"

"Because that's how long I predicted it would take to put down the men in the room along with this guy, Nathan," Drew said, not looking at Joe as he worked with each explosive. "As for Frank, I have a feeling he's long gone by now, especially since we don't see Powers anywhere. Trust me."

"Okay," Joe said though he didn't know if he should trust the older man he'd only known for a few hours. He still looked around just in case Frank was nearby but Joe had a sinking feeling that Drew was right and his brother was no longer in the building. Where he was, that was the question burning in Joe's mind.

Drew was just about done when the sound of a gun cocking rang through the building. The two men peered around their hiding spot to see a man aiming a gun at James' head.

"No!" cried Nathan, pulling the man's hand down. "Mr. Powers wants him on the ship to be dealt with. You shoot him now, Powers will shoot you!"

"But, Nathan," cried the man, "this man is responsible for my brother's death! I can't let that go!"

"Then wait until she's done with him and I'll see if Mr. Powers will let you finish him off! Until then, BACK OFF!"

The man reluctantly put his gun away, grumbling. He kicked James in the face, causing him to fall back from the impact. James struggled to get back and laughed, spitting blood from his mouth.

"Better listen to the warden here," he smirked at the man.

"Shut up!" cried Nathan, pushing James back down and standing on his chest. "Or I'll just let him kill you anyway!"

Drew snarled silently at the image of his friend being hurt. He wanted to end Nathan right then and there but knew he had to destroy the warehouse along with rescuing James. Motioning for Joe to get into position, Drew got his gun ready and grabbed the bag of explosives to be placed throughout the warehouse. Keeping to the growing shadows and large crates throughout, Joe stopped right before the end of the row, waiting for Drew's signal. He watched from his hiding place as the older man placed explosive after explosive, heading toward where Drew eventually wanted to be before they pounced on the men in the center of the room. Joe set the timer on his watch for fifteen minutes to make sure he knew the time in order to get out of the building before it blew.

Drew finally came to the end of the crates and peered out to see the scene before him. He shot the first shot, hitting the man next to Nathan, who flew to the ground. Powers' secondhand man pulled out his own gun to begin firing back as Joe rushed out of his spot to take down the men from behind. Although he had a gun with him, Joe wanted to basically beat the crap out of every one of them in retaliation for Frank. With the men all distracted by Drew's barrage of gunfire, Joe was easily able to take down the small group of men, punching and kicking each one of them before training his gun on Nathan. Unfortunately for Joe, the more experienced man was able to knock the gun out of his hand and bring him to the ground, keeping his knee to Joe's neck.

"Well, look what I found," Nathan said enthusiastically. "Mr. Powers will be so happy to see you along with Mr. Matthews here, Joe Hardy."

"I aim to please," Joe replied though he had a hard getting the words out. "Where's my brother, you bastard?"

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough," Nathan laughed. His laughter stopped the moment he felt a gun at the back of his head.

"I don't think so," Drew snarled at him. "Let the kid go! Now!"

Nathan slowly got off of Joe with the younger man scrambling away to help James, grabbing his gun from the floor. Drew continued aiming his gun towards Nathan as Joe pulled James up off the floor, his hands still handcuffed behind him.

"You're not going to get far," Nathan smirked. "We know where the Hardys live and as for you, once we find out where your family is, I'll make sure I send you pictures of their deaths."

"You're not scaring me," Drew replied, stone-faced. "Besides, my family is no longer able to be hurt by pieces of shit like you. Now, stay right where you are or I'll put a bullet in your head for good measure."

Nathan remained still, daggers coming out of his eyes as he watched Drew and Joe help James out the side door near the van. At the last minute, Joe pulled out his gun and shot all the tires out of the van, making it impossible for Nathan or anyone to follow them. Nathan finally rushed over to the door the moment the trio left and tried to follow them only to find they disappeared somewhere around the side of the building. Huffing, he knew Mr. Powers was not going to be happy with this new development and cringed at the thought of having to tell his boss that both James and Joe slipped through his fingers. He was about to order the men who followed him out to search for the escapees but the warehouse behind him exploded, knocking him to the ground, out cold.

* * *

"Ahhh, smell that salty sea air!" replied Powers, stepping onto the ship and taking a deep breath. His men and Frank followed suit silently. "Almost makes me want to puke. Carter!"

A man scrambled to him from the upper deck, stopping just in front of Powers.

"Ah, there you are," Powers replied. "I was wondering what took you so long. How are the preparations for delivery coming along?"

"Sir, we are just about to begin, if you would like," Carter replied nervously. "Nothing is wrong with the shipment and all cargo is accounted for."

"Wonderful," Powers said, walking away nonchalantly. "You may begin the moment the sun sets."

"Yes, sir," Carter bowed.

"Oh, and Carter?" Powers turned around. "You have cargo returning with you on the first trip back. Make sure it is delivered directly to me once you get here. Nathan will be with it."

"Yes, sir."

"Carter? Don't be so nervous. It doesn't do you any justice." Powers walked away, hands behind his back. "Let's go gentlemen!" he called back to his men without stopping his stride. They quickly followed him with Frank in tow.

Heading down into the bowels of the ship, Powers walked into a large room where sounds of fighting echoed throughout. They all stopped in front of an open area in the middle of the room where the fighting was going on. Several men lay along the edges of the area, nursing bruises and egos while others were still sparring with a red-headed figure in the middle. As the last man fell to a high kick to the head, Powers clapped and whistled loudly.

"That was stupendous, my dear!" he cried, walking over to Nancy, whose back was to him. He turned her around to get a better look at her, a smile breaking out. "You look amazing! That stylist did a wonderful job in bringing back your proper hair color! Remind me to thank her later."

"Sir, we executed her as you requested," replied a man nearby, cringing with a broken nose.

"Too bad," Powers frowned, showing no real sign of remorse. "Come here, my dear. I have brought you someone."

He escorted Nancy over to where Frank was standing. Her eyes wandered to him and Powers never noticed her blink several times as if trying to get the cobwebs out of her head. Powers was too busy gloating to realize his mistake as Nancy reached for a pipe that was sitting on a nearby table. The few men with Frank noticed the move but thought it was something she was supposed to do until she whipped it around on Powers, taking him by surprise. As the man rolled on the floor, trying to get back up, Nancy turned to the other men, a look of sheer anger rippled across her face. It was all over within minutes after she started hitting them with the same pipe while Frank just stood still. As the last man fell, Powers had regained his composure and strode over to her, grabbing her by her hair. Blood streamed down his cheek from the gash on the side of his face as he slammed Nancy into the row of lockers against the wall, pinning her.

"I don't know how you were able to break your programming but I promise you, it will not happen again," Powers seethed into her ear. He rammed Nancy's head into the lockers several times before she dropped from his grip, panting. "How?" Powers' face was inches from her own when he felt two hands grab him from behind and throw him across the room.

"The same way I did, you jackass," replied a voice.

Powers turned to see a very angry Frank Hardy, fists clenched at his sides.

"Now, Frank," Powers smiled a smooth grin, "you're not going to get out of here that easily. Not with her barely able to move."

"Let me worry about that," Frank said. He looked down at Nancy, dazed on the floor and turned back to Powers, who was slowly rising from the floor. Not thinking at all, Frank gave Powers a hard right hook, sending the man to the ground again, out cold. Even though he knew the man would never stop looking for them, Frank wasn't the type to kill anyone and found some rope. Tying up Powers and the unconscious men around him he finally went over to Nancy, who look up at him and smiled.

"I am so sorry, Nan," Frank said into her shoulder as he held her tight. When they broke apart, she held his face in her hands, tears running down her cheeks.

"It's okay," she whispered. Nancy leaned in, giving him a tender kiss. "I would never believe a word that bastard said anyway, programming or not."

Frank laughed as he helped her off the floor. He noticed the men around the room whom she was fighting with earlier, were watching them as if pondering if they wanted another beat down. Wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible, Frank walked her to the door and realized he had no idea where to go. The maze of the ship got them lost quickly but they were still able to avoid the guards patrolling all around. That was until the ship's alarm started going off.

Finding their way into what looked like an engine room, Frank and Nancy looked around to see if they could find anything to get them on deck. Through the search, Frank suddenly got an idea. One that would not only help them get off the ship but may be able to sink it as well.

"What are you doing?" Nancy asked quietly, watching him move around.

"I don't know but I hope it does something," Frank stated. Finding a wrench, he started turning valves and bolts along the piping throughout the room. He found a computer terminal and began typing to see if there was anything else he could do. The room started getting loud as the pipes began to whistle from overheating. Satisfied, Frank smashed the terminal with a wrench and grabbed Nancy, pulling her away from the room. "We need to get off this ship, now."

"Yeah, but how?" Nancy replied, looking around as they rushed through the corridors. A few guards started to chase them as Frank found stairs leading up. The two finally burst onto deck to hear the alarms wailing louder than before as an explosion rocked the ship, knocking them to the ground. Quickly getting up, they rushed to the edge of the ship and looked down at the dark waters below them.

"I told you, you wouldn't get far, Frank," laughed a voice behind them. Frank and Nancy turned to see Powers smirking across the deck, blood still running down his face. The two inched their way down the deck to find an open spot but found they had nowhere to go. There were several men flanking Powers, awaiting orders. "I have a suspicion as to how you two broke free but right now I don't really care. I may have to scratch my original plan with you and find something new to play with. First, I think there are a few people who would love to have some fun..."

Powers was about to say something more but was interrupted by an explosion that came from, not the ship, but from the docks on shore behind Frank and Nancy. The ship itself began to teeter forward as if it were sinking.

"What did you do?" cried Powers, looking furious at Frank.

"Let's just say that whatever your cargo is, it will be on the bottom of the ocean soon," Frank smirked. He looked at Nancy and asked her to trust him again. Once she nodded, they clasped hands and jumped over the side of the ship, dropping into the dark ocean below.

Powers raced over to the edge of the ship to see the two splash into the ocean below. He screamed at the top of his lungs in anger. His one triumphant moment turned into a disaster and now he was not only out of two perfect assassins but his entire drug supply. Powers vowed in that moment he would get his revenge once more on the two who virtually destroyed his entire plan and empire.


	23. Chapter 22

**Author's Note:**

 **Well, I'm giving you a heads up on this one. This is a very long chapter but it's an extremely important one! Every little detail was necessary. Anyway, there's also a little bit of language just to give warning. I really liked writing this chapter so I hope that you enjoy reading it! Thank you so much to Max2013, Nancy Drew24, and the guest who reviewed! I love hearing what people have to say about the story and how it's going! Again, enjoy and don't forget to review!**

Chapter Twenty-Two

Fenton and Carson arrived at the Hardy residence later that day to find Laura rushing out the door toward them. She was crying and when Fenton finally got out of her what was going on, he ran inside. Carson and Laura following close on his heels, the trio stopped in front of the TV where a press conference was being aired. Agent Davis stood at the podium, her arm in a sling ad a bandage over her eye. Carson folded his arms across his chest, listening to the agent speak:

 _"We have reason to believe that James Matthews, who was apprehended last night in New York and is wanted in connection with an incident that occurred in Chicago almost eight months ago, is currently armed and considered dangerous. He was under our custody just two hours ago when several unknown parties attacked our convoy and 'rescued' Mr. Matthews. Several good agents and officers lost their lives trying to fight off their assailants only to be butchered in the street."_

"And you were miraculously able to escape practically unscathed!" cried Fenton angrily. Laura shushed him as the press conference continued.

 _"Although we do not know the real identities of the assailants and nothing has been confirmed, we have reason to believe that two of them were involved in the Chicago incident: Nancy Drew, resident of River Heights, Illinois and Frank Hardy, local resident of Bayport, New York. Police and the FBI are working together to find these two, who are also considered armed and dangerous. Citizens of New York City and the surrounding area are urged to contact 911 in the event they happen to see these three people."_

"That's horseshit!" yelled Fenton, his face glowing red. "And she knows it!"

"Honestly, Fenton!" cried Laura, through tears. Carson was already on the phone, speaking with someone as she tried to calm her husband down along with herself. The situation just got worse for them all, with Agent Davis finally getting her way in painting Frank and Nancy as criminals. Fenton began pacing, waiting for Carson to get off the phone, the TV now muted as the reporters regurgitated everything that was just said.

"Thanks, Mason," Carson replied. "I owe you one. See you soon, hopefully."

He looked to the Hardys and smiled broadly once the call ended.

"What?" cried Fenton, impatiently.

"That was an old friend of mine," Carson stated, his smile never wavering. "I don't have much detail to tell you but I think we are about to have a reprieve. I'll know more later."

The evening settled in and they still heard no word from Joe or anyone else as to what was going on. The three were getting more and more worried until the phone rang in the house around nine. Laura rushed over to answer it, hoping it was her youngest son. Fenton and Carson sat quietly waiting for Laura to return.

"Fenton, dear," Laura replied, her hand over the mouthpiece of the cordless phone. Fenton looked up at her warily. "Chief Collig in on the phone and would like to speak with you."

Fenton took the phone and gave Carson a worried look. He hoped it was nothing more than a question about another case.

"Hello, Chief," Fenton said as cheerfully as he could. "What can I do for you?"

"Sorry to bother you, Fenton," Collig replied on the other line, "but I was wondering if you were watching the news."

"We turned it off after the FBI's press conference pretty much destroying Frank and Nancy's reputation. Why?"

"You might want to turn it on now," Collig said. Fenton turned the TV back on to find footage of a warehouse blaze.

"What am I looking at?"

"That's Bayport's wharf, Fenton," Collig explained. Fenton's face went white at the destruction he was witnessing on TV. "I need you down here because we may have found something you might want to know about."

"Okay, I'm not sure I understand though." The phone got quiet suddenly and another voice soon came on, Fenton's face going beet red in anger. "Joseph Hardy! You had better have a damn good explanation why you're there and haven't called home all day!"

* * *

"How could this have happened?" Powers screamed at nobody in particular. The ship around him was teetering and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Frank Hardy had thwarted him again. This time, though, Powers hoped the man drowned but he thought he couldn't be that lucky.

"Sir? Shouldn't we abandon ship?" asked Carter standing nearby. Anna looked terrified as well, watching the flames beginning to lick the deck.

"I have to agree, Mr. Powers," she said nervously. Powers turned to the both of them, fury in his eyes.

"Let's go," he finally said, defeated. "Before the Coast Guard arrives to spoil everything. Is there any way for us to salvage the cargo?"

"I have a few crates on the boat I was using, sir," Carter answered. "That's about all we can put on there for now."

"That will have to work," Powers nodded. He turned toward another man standing near him. "Make sure you get as many of the workers off this ship. I don't want to leave many behind with the pending arrival of the Coast Guard."

"Yes, sir." The man walked off and began yelling orders to others as Powers led his small group to where Carter had his transport boat docked along with side of the ship.

The group was soon on their way south towards New York City. Powers stood on deck, staring at both the burning hulk of his warehouse on shore and the sinking ship at sea. His fury was mounting at the sheer thought of Frank Hardy. Although he didn't know who was responsible for the warehouse, Powers figured it was an associate of the man or maybe even Joe Hardy. His hatred for the brothers had grown over the past few weeks and Powers wanted nothing more than to watch the life drain out of their eyes personally.

"Will?" replied a voice, interrupting his train of thought. He looked over to see Garrison standing nearby, the only person on the planet who was allowed to call him by his first name. The doctor was holding a file folder as Powers motioned for him to come forward.

"What is it, my old friend?" he asked, his features softening for the man.

"I have something to show you," the doctor smiled slightly. "I conducted a physical on the girl as you requested and found something you may be interested in knowing."

Powers took the folder and looked through it though he wasn't sure what he was looking for. When Garrison saw him struggling, he turned to the page he wanted Powers to see and waited.

"Are you sure?" Powers looked up at him, skeptically.

"Absolutely. Tests don't lie."

"Do you think she knows?"

"I highly doubt it, Will," Garrison replied. "I didn't tell her while she was with us anyway, not that she would comprehend it being under your control."

"Well, this puts a lot of things into perspective," Powers replied. He smirked as he continued reading. "Confirms my suspicions about how they were able to break their programming so easily."

Powers thought for a few minutes before saying anything more.

"I'm pairing you with Marty, Garrison," Powers said. "The target is no longer Hardy. I want you to start looking for women fitting her description. You know where to look and what to look for so I'm counting on you for this task. How long do you think we have?"

"Not sure," Garrison answered. "Could be six months or it could be more."

"Find her. She will be the key to Hardy's undoing."

* * *

Joe stood listening to his parents yell at him for a good ten minutes. He was embarrassed as people he knew and worked with listened to everything Fenton Hardy said. No on could miss his voice even over the roar of the flames and sirens. Joe kept apologizing to them but still felt as if he were still in high school being reprimanded for hosting a party at the house while his parents were gone. Chief Ezra Collig soon came over, bringing relief to the younger Hardy.

"Oh, don't be so hard on him, Fenton," the Chief replied. "I was a little mad at him too at first but once he told his story, I couldn't be more proud."

"What happened out there?" Carson asked, pointing to the flames that were rising over the dark ocean. He wanted to give a little reprieve for Joe as well by changing the subject.

"Somehow, a cargo ship started to sink and a few explosions went off," Collig explained. "The Coast Guard is investigating as of now but they called earlier for us to keep an eye out for any boats coming in to the docks."

Collig was interrupted as an SUV pulled up beside them and Agent Davis got out of it. Joe rolled his eyes as he watched the woman walk smugly toward them. Carson was a bit confused at seeing her but kept it to himself.

"Can I help you?" Collig replied.

"I'm Agent Pauline Davis of the FBI," she said, pulling out her badge. "I'm taking over the investigation here."

She eyed each one of the group, first stopping at Carson, giving him a smirk, then settling on Joe, whom she strolled up to. Davis stopped inches from the younger man and stood about a good foot shorter than the six foot tall Hardy.

"I hear you were with whoever did this," Davis finally said.

"I don't know how you would know that," replied Fenton, placing himself in front of his son before Joe could answer. "Collig told us not too long ago so how did you know we were even here?"

"I have my ways, Mr. Hardy," she answered, never taking her eyes off Joe. He was starting to get a bit uncomfortable at the woman's stare. "Where are they, Mr. Hardy?"

"Why would I tell you anything?" Joe asked defiantly. "You seem to know everything already but then again you're also a part of the problem."

"Really?" Davis said, raising an eyebrow. "Then maybe your tongue will loosen a bit while you're in jail. Ryder, escort Mr. Hardy to the car and put him in cuffs."

"On what charges?" cried Fenton as another agent came over and pulled Joe to their car. Carson stepped up as well while Laura tried to stop the agent from taking her son.

"Aiding and abetting, arson, destruction of private property, shall I go on?"

"I had nothing to do with this!" yelled Joe, struggling. Agent Ryder had a hard time maneuvering the young man to the car as both his parents and Carson Drew protested. Even Chief Collig tried to step in but Davis just yelled back saying she had jurisdiction and every right. None of the group noticed another SUV pull up and a gentleman with dark hair and graying temples step out, smoothing his pristine suit. Joe was already in the other car as the man approached them all with several men and women flanking him.

"What is the meaning of this?" he yelled.

"Who the hell are you?" asked Agent Davis rudely. She eyed the man up and down though she didn't say anything more. Carson smirked from behind her and leaned forward.

"I believe this is the part where I tell you 'you're screwed,' he whispered in her ear. He turned his attention to the newly arrived man and walked to him, beaming. "Mason! So good of you to come!"

"Good to see you again, Carson," Mason smiled though still sounded serious. The two shook hands cheerfully before settling back on a speechless Agent Davis. "Is this who you were telling me about?"

"Yes, it is," smiled Carson. Mason was handed a folder by one of his men and began perusing it silently. He looked back at her.

"Why was that young man arrested, Agent Davis?" Mason finally asked.

"I don't have to answer to some lawyer friend of Carson Drew's," Davis spat. "This is my case, so back off!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't introduce myself," Mason replied. "Assistant Director Mason Wallace. I spoke with your boss not too long ago and he seems to think you've been running your mouth a little too much before evidence was collected. I also received a disturbing phone call from my friend here about some actions you committed recently. Tell me, Agent Davis, what happened to the injunction Carson Drew filed earlier stopping you from taking James Matthews away from his lawyer and his rights?"

Davis' face went white as she listened to Mason speak to her. Her mouth moved but nothing seemed to come out.

"Well, we'll get to that later," Mason continued. "What I didn't know was that you were already being investigated for several incidents that occurred recently including the release of several photos to the media and pegging two people as criminals without any sufficient evidence. I have been given permission though to tell you are hereby suspended indefinitely pending the investigation into your recent activities. You're off the case as of now and these good people will no longer have to endure your deceitfulness. Please take Agent Davis to my car."

Two agents walked up to her, guiding her away but Mason stopped them before they could go further. He searched her pockets, eventually finding the injunction she never disposed of.

"You know, you're not very smart for keeping this," Mason replied, looking over the paper. "I spoke with an airport officer on the way here who witnessed you putting this into your pocket moments before you left with James Matthews. She thought it was rather strange that you didn't follow the order. You might want to be careful the next time. You also might want to think up a story that tells me where he is currently. And I don't mean the BS story you told at the press conference."

"What about my son?" Fenton asked as Davis was escorted away to the vehicle.

"I'll go talk to him and listen to his side of the story before I make a decision." Mason excused himself and walked over to Davis' vehicle and got in.

The warehouse fire was soon contained and controlled though it spread to some of the surrounding warehouses. The fire at sea began to dissipate as well before completely becoming dark on the horizon. Carson and the Hardys waited for Mason to return from the car but also wanted to know if Nancy or Frank were on the ship at sea. The police found several men lying outside the warehouse, arresting them until their identities could be confirmed.

Over a half hour later, Mason stepped from the car and walked over to the anxious parents. He seemed content with what he heard but didn't let his face reveal his intentions.

"All I have to say, Mr. and Mrs. Hardy, is that you have one heck of kid on your hands," he said kindly. "Joe told me everything that transpired today and I personally don't think he's a threat or responsible for this. In fact, I think he's a hero."

Though he was angry with his son just an hour before, Fenton stood proudly with his wife, watching Mason motion toward the car. Joe got out and rushed over to them and hugging them. He knew that was one moment he was glad was over with.

"Thank you, Mr. Wallace," Fenton replied, shaking the man's hand.

"Call me Mason but don't thank me," Mason replied. "Thank your son. He helped stop several hundred pounds of a synthetic drug from coming into this country."

"I beg your pardon?" Laura asked.

"The ship that was out at sea over there, was filled with it," Mason explained. "The Coast Guard informed me just before I got here. Apparently, the ship is owned by the same corporation who owned this warehouse or at least that is what my tech people are telling me. It was the shipment that Joe here heard Powers talk about while he was searching the warehouses with two others. The Coast Guard is currently searching the ship for any survivors since they were able to stop the ship from sinking any further and the fires died out. As for Nancy and Frank, there is no word yet as to whether or not they were on the ship but don't worry. Neither one of them will be charged with anything until I hear their own side of the story."

They all grew silent as they watched the firefighters continue to fend off the fire though it was deteriorating. Police were barricading those who came to witness the fire including several news stations, most of whom had cameras trained on Carson and the Hardys rather than the fire.

"Fenton," growled a voice coming up behind him. Fenton turned around to see an older man limp toward the group. He had a fisherman's hat and vest on and looked a little annoyed.

"Grundy?" Fenton asked. Joe and Laura moved to hear the conversation. "What on earth are you doing here? You're usually out night fishing on the ocean."

"Well, I was," the man grumbled, a slight southern accent attached, "until that ship exploded."

"Wait, you saw it happen?" Fenton asked. Mason and Carson turned in interest as Grundy stepped closer.

"Yup," Grundy said simply. "It looked as if it were rocked from the inside then started sinking slowly. I know ships, even large ones, and that doesn't happen unless someone was tampering with the engines. Ships just don't do it on their own."

"Did you happen to see anything else?" Mason asked.

Grundy looked at the new speaker then at Fenton, who nodded his head. The two men shared a silent agreement that Mason could be trusted.

"Well, I fished two people out of the water about ten minutes later, if that's what you mean," Grundy replied. "That was, oh I'd say, two hours ago. The two were trying to swim back to shore though it's a good five miles away, if that. Neither one of them said a word until I asked who they were. Gave me some names I knew weren't their given ones and a story about losing their boat. Never wanted to say where they really came from but I knew they were on that ship at one point. Called them out on their story."

"But how did you know they were lying?" asked Mason.

"I know a Hardy when I see one."

The group suddenly got quiet, too stunned to say anything at Grundy's revelation.

"Where'd…" Fenton's voice cracked. "Where'd you leave them at?"

"Oh, I dropped them about two miles down that way," Grundy pointed south of the marina. "They didn't want to be near this place. I came back and tried to fish but the Coast Guard was coming in. So I decided to dock my boat and come have a look-see here on the docks. Glad I did because I saw you all here and it saved me a trip to your house later."

"You were going to come visit us?" Laura asked, shocked. Both her and Fenton knew the man hated visiting people as much as he hated social gatherings.

"Well, there's something else I needed to tell you," Grundy smiled, showing several missing teeth. "Direct from the source: 'Frank and Nancy are free.'"


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Are you sure about this?" Frank asked, walking into Penn Station around three in the morning. He and Nancy were exhausted from their escape and ultimate swim in the ocean, their clothes somewhat dry as they walked into the station. Frank had asked Drew to place a backpack filled with emergency supplies inside a locker just in case something were to happen and the two were now in the process of looking for the key Drew left for them. It contained everything they would need to get out of town quickly without being noticed.

"Yes, Frank," Nancy replied, yawning. "I think we need to be away from everyone we know for a while. Each time we got caught it was because of someone associated with us. Kyla in Paris and James here in New York. I don't want it to happen again. Where's the key again?"

"Drew said he put it in a small niche in the wall near the lockers." Though they were able to rinse off the dirt and grime from the ocean before getting a cab to the city, they still felt they needed a shower. Luckily, Frank still had his wallet and was able to pay the taxi ride plus some extra for the inconvenience of taking them wet. By the time they got to the city, the cash flow was severely diminished and they barely had enough money for anything else. They went to the train station to retrieve the bag along with buying tickets out of town.

"You told me to trust you several times before," Nancy stated. She excitedly found the niche and pulled out the key. "Now it's your turn to trust me."

"I do trust you, but this is different than before, Nan," Frank said. He watched her open the locker revealing the knapsack inside. Unfortunately, there were no extra clothes for them to change into but there was ample money to remedy the fact. With it being the middle of the night, even the gift shop was closed so the two couldn't even buy a t-shirt. Nancy did however find a hair tie she hid inside the bag just in case, pulling her prominent strawberry-blonde hair up into a messy bun. She hoped the change kept people from looking at her closely. Leaving the others' passports, the two guns, and a short note, Nancy closed the locker and re-hid the key for the others to find later. "I don't know if we should go away from the support that they offer."

"Where do you want to go from here?" she asked, ignoring his remark.

"This was your idea," he laughed, shrugging.

"Well, I don't care as long as we got to a place that has a mall and an airport. Plus something that leaves soon with a bed to boot."

The couple walked hand-in-hand to the ticket office where a bored-looking woman sat reading a book. She looked up as they approached and smiled a tired smile. She gave Nancy an odd look as if she knew her from somewhere.

"Where can I send you this evening…or morning?"

"Do you have a schedule we could borrow for a moment?" Nancy asked sweetly in a southern drawl. Frank hid a smile under his hand at the sudden change in her but kept quiet himself. The lady handed them a brochure and lazily went back to her book. The two perused the book, looking for the right place to go that had a superliner. One caught their eye and Nancy soon turned back to the lady to make the arrangements. "Do you have any available bedrooms on the superliner to Montreal? One way."

The lady started to check her computer as Frank tapped his fingers on the counter. He hoped she moved a little faster than that but she took her time in finding what they were looking for.

"You are in luck," she said finally. "I have one bedroom left on that train but it leaves shortly. Are you sure you wouldn't like to go on a later train?"

"No, we are good," Frank said, flashing a dazzling smile and hoping it was as good as Joe's. Apparently it was since the lady blushed a little and printed out their tickets.

"Any luggage?"

"No," Frank laughed, holding up the bag for her to see. "We travel light."

"Oookay," the woman said, looking over their IDs and taking their cash. She soon handed them their tickets and pointed to the stairs. "The platform is up that way and I'll let them know you're coming but I can't promise that they'll hold the train for you. Enjoy your trip."

"Thank you," Nancy replied as they rushed away toward where the lady pointed. She had a sinking feeling that they were not going to make it to Montreal because of the odd way the lady looked at her. Nancy blew it off as a worry and concentrated on looking forward to the bed the sleeper offered.

Frank and Nancy made it to the train just as it was pulling out of the station. The conductor took their tickets right away and escorted them to their room. It was small but boasted a small shower and bathroom and the beds were somewhat comfortable looking but inviting. The two were extremely tired but felt they needed to clean off the ocean grime still on their bodies.

Nancy took the first shower and washed her clothes as well. Frank laughed at her as she came out of the bathroom with only a towel on, hanging the clothes near the air vent so they could dry. He couldn't help looking at her as she walked around the room, trying to keep the towel on. Finally grabbing Nancy and pulling her towards him, Frank kissed her as she giggled in his arms.

"Eww! You're gross feeling!" she cried, laughing. She playfully pushed away from him while still miraculously keeping the towel on. "Get a shower and then I'll think about it."

Frank winked at her as he closed the door, the shower soon coming on. Nancy walked about the room, making sure their door was locked and the curtains closed though it was still the middle of the night. Frank's shower was just as long as hers and Nancy soon found herself dozing in the lower bunk waiting for him, fatigue finally catching up to her. By the time Frank was out of the small bathroom, Nancy was fast asleep, her towel laying on the floor beside the bed. He looked up at the top bunk and knew he didn't want to climb up there so he pulled the pillow and blanket off the bunk and laid himself on the floor next to her bed. Within minutes, he was out and the two slept for several hours before Frank heard the sound of someone in the room with them.

* * *

"What have you got for me?" Mason asked into the phone. It was nine the next morning and he was standing in the Hardys' living room when he got the phone call. Carson, Fenton, and Laura were sitting around the room, waiting to hear what Mason's phone call entailed. Joe sat quietly in the corner as if he were still asleep, a cup of coffee perched on the arm of the chair. Mason came by to relay a few things to them including the press conference that was held the hour before. "When did it leave?...Uh huh. Are the police getting involved?...Good, keep them at bay as long as you can. I don't want anyone getting hurt over nothing…See what you can do and I'll meet you…Where's the next major stop?...Okay, I'll meet you there. Thanks, Dalton."

Carson watched his friend closely, wondering who would be calling him. But then again, Mason was an important and very busy man.

"That was Agent Dalton," Mason announced, answering Carson's burning question written across his face. "We got a phone tip from Penn Station in New York City. He just finished interviewing an overnight ticket teller who sold two one-way tickets to Montreal to a couple about three this morning. She thought it strange that they had only a knapsack and the clothes on their back for such a long trip but didn't catch on until this morning's press conference. She called the moment she recognized the woman."

"You mean?" Carson asked, hopefully.

"Yes, the lady took care of Nancy and I'm willing to bet the other one was Frank. She didn't specify him though. I think his appearance threw her off." Mason looked at Joe who sat quietly nursing his coffee, eyes red-rimmed from the night before. "Didn't you say, Joe, that his hair was lighter?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah," Joe mumbled. "And he had a short beard, almost goatee-like. Even I almost didn't recognize him."

"Well, obviously this teller didn't either since she only reported Nancy," Mason took a sip of his own coffee before setting it down. "I have to go. I'm meeting Dalton before the train hits the border. We need to get there before Powers finds out the same information. I want to see though if we can stop them before they disappear completely again."

"Are you going to bring them back here?" Laura asked, hopefully.

"I will try but I can't make any promises."

"Can we come too?" asked Carson.

"No, I prefer you all stay here," Mason shook his head. "I'm leaving a detail here for the time being to make sure nothing happens. I'm hoping we get this resolved and Powers gets put away for good soon. I'll let you know everything once I've gotten there and hopefully talk to them."

Mason didn't give any of them any time to protest and left the room quickly. None of them said anything, hoping that the man returned with their kids in one piece.

* * *

"Mr. Powers?" replied Carter. He poked his head into the makeshift office, hoping that his boss wasn't too angry.

"What is it, Carter?" Powers growled, causing the little man to whimper a little. Carter walked slowly in, his hands wringing nervously.

"M-Marty asked me to give you a message," he replied, stopping just in front of the desk.

"Well? What is it?"

"A w-woman matching the description of Nancy Drew bought two train tickets to Montreal early this morning," Carter said. "The FBI is on their way to intercept and Marty wanted to know if you wanted to do anything."

"Get Nathan in here since he finally decided to show his face and Anna too," Powers said, rising from the chair. "Those two can remedy their misgivings by going up there and bringing them back here." When Carter didn't move right away Powers cried out. "NOW!"

Powers watched with satisfaction as the scrawny little man scrambled out of the room to get Nathan and Anna. He hoped that his secondhand man came through for him this time after losing James Matthews to Joe Hardy in Bayport. Powers snarled at the thought of the name Hardy and wanted nothing more than to be rid of the meddlesome brothers. As for the girl, he may have a new use for her and smiled at the thought.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Another chapter down! Just FYI, I based the train on an actual Amtrak route Penn Station to Montreal called the Adirondack however it is slightly different from what I wrote. For one thing, it leaves much later than 330-400 in the morning and it's not a Superliner as mentioned. I just wanted to give them a chance to sleep while on the train ride, plus clean up a bit. Although I have never been in one, Amtrak does offer bedrooms (and suites!) for longer train rides and they do come accommodated with amenities just like a hotel so all of that was true. Anyway, just thought I'd tell you I took some liberties on certain parts. Thanks so much for the reviews! Keep them up! I love reading what you have to say!**


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

Nancy heard a noise, startling her awake. The train was no longer moving and there were no sounds coming from outside the room. The curtains were still drawn though sunshine tried to peek through the sides giving the room an eerie glow. She looked down to see Frank sleeping on the floor by her bed, the scars from his injuries slightly visible in the dim light. Her eyes roamed the semi-dark room until she landed on a lone figure sitting in the chair across from her. An open newspaper blocked her from seeing who it was though she almost thought it was her father as the man was wearing an impeccable suit. Nancy moved slowly to try to get off the bed, keeping the blankets and sheet close to her. She cursed herself for not keeping her clothes near her but knew they wouldn't dry otherwise. As she was just about to put her foot down, avoiding Frank, the man cleared his throat loudly.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said. The newspaper crinkled as the man leveled it down to look at her. He smiled, wrinkles crinkling at the corners of his eyes behind his reading glasses. Frank finally stirred after the man spoke, sitting up quickly and watching him with unease. Nancy eased herself back on to the bed slowly.

"Mason Wallace?" Nancy croaked out. Frank turned to look at her, stunned that she knew who the man was.

"Hello, Nancy," Mason replied kindly, still smiling. He looked down at Frank giving him the evil eye. "Frank Hardy, I presume?"

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, gathering her blanket and sheet close to her again though she was very well covered. "Did Dad send you?"

"No, I'm here on official business," Mason answered. "He's back in New York with Mr. Hardy's family waiting for me to call them. They want you to come home."

"Is that why you're here?" Frank asked skeptically. "Or are you going to arrest us?"

"No, Mr. Hardy," Mason looked at him in earnest. "I'm here to ask for help from you. I highly doubt though that I would want to parade you two out the door and onto the platform with nothing on. A fact that I will leave out of my report along with keeping it from your families. I am going to leave you two alone to get dressed. I will be out in the hall so I trust that you will not keep me waiting long."

Mason walked out leaving the two to wonder how he even got in the room let alone find them. Nancy gathered the blankets around her, stumbling out of bed as she tripped over Frank. The two burst out laughing as she grabbed her clothes on the way into the bathroom. Frank quickly changed in the room, looking at the clock reading 12:05pm. They had been sleeping for over eight hours straight and he knew they couldn't be far from the border to Canada. He just wished this Mason guy hadn't found them so easily. What's to say that Powers couldn't do the same? Or maybe he's working for Powers and is here to take them back.

Frank continued to think of who the man was and especially how Nancy even knew him as he pulled on his slightly damp clothes. His thoughts soon went to mush when Nancy stepped out of the bathroom. Although he saw her the night before and knew what she wore, Frank couldn't help but gaze at the dress that hugged her every curve. Powers may be psychotic but he sure knew how to dress a lady. Frank watched her strap heals on that miraculously stayed on her feet when they jumped into the ocean. He continued to watch as she gathered their few belongings and stuff them into their knapsack. Nancy had to repeat his name again in order to knock him out of his thoughts of her.

"What?" he asked dumbly, shaking his head.

"I said 'are you ready?'" Nancy gave him an odd look as he put his shoes on quietly. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, smiling at her. "Just thinking about things and watching you. Do you really know this guy?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Nancy said, sighing. "He's a friend of Dad's from years ago but Dad really hasn't talked to him lately. Only when he needs something or vice versa. They had a kind of falling out a few years back after a well publicized case and they haven't really spoken since. I guess until now, that is. He said Dad knows he's here."

"Can he be trusted?"

Nancy walked over to him and sat on his knee. She took his face in her hands and kissed him tenderly.

"I'm hoping he can be. Whatever else is going on in that handsome head of yours," Nancy said thoughtfully, "it can wait. We will be fine, no matter what happens. You'll see."

"I almost lost you," Frank whispered, wrapping his arms around her. He looked into her crystal blue eyes and saw the love she had for him.

"But you didn't," she said softly. "I will always come back to you no matter what. I love you, Frank Hardy, and not even that bastard Powers will take that away."

"You are my whole world, Nan," he said, leaning his forehead against hers. They kissed again only to be interrupted by an urgent knock at the door, reminding them of who was waiting. "Is he really someone to trust?"

Before Nancy could say anything more, Mason rushed back into the room and locked the door.

"Change of plans," he said quickly.

"Why? What is it?" Frank asked, concerned. Nancy got up and waited for Mason to explain.

"I just got word that two known associates of William Powers just entered the terminal and are headed this way. Good thing I had the train evacuated." Frank quickly rose as Nancy pulled on their knapsack. He wanted nothing more than to put as much distance between them and whoever was there.

"Who are they?" Nancy asked as Mason opened their door and peered out.

"It wasn't specified. We're clear," he replied motioning for them to follow him. Just as they came to the end of the car, the tell-tale sound of a silencer pinged, the bullet just brushing past Nancy's head. No, not a bullet, she saw. A tranquilizer dart! She turned to see Anna Mitchell aiming her gun at them again. Nancy pulled Frank around the corner just as the dart hit the wall where he once stood. She heard Anna curse out loud as a male voice scolded her. _Nathan!_ Nancy thought. Frank pushed her forward behind Mason who was trying to move as quickly as he could through the train car.

"How did _they_ find us?" Frank asked, huffing through the car.

"Probably the same way we did, by asking the right questions," Mason replied, guiding them downstairs to get off the train. He turned toward them once they hit the platform crowded with the waiting travelers. "I need you to trust me. I have a car out front waiting. If you want to hear me out, follow me there. If not, you'll have to find a way out of here on your own. It's your choice."

Mason dissolved into the crowd leaving the two to contemplate their decision quickly. Frank didn't trust anyone at the moment but he felt that they really didn't have a choice but to follow Mason. He looked at Nancy and waited for her to answer though she remained quiet, thinking about what to do. Her eyes widened as she caught glimpse of Nathan stepping onto the platform and stare right at them, smirking.

"I don't think we have a choice, Frank! Let's go!" she cried, following the direction Mason went into the terminal. Nathan and Anna rushed after them, pushing people out of the way in the process, leaving a lot of protests and grumbling in their wake. As Nancy and Frank burst through the front doors of the station, a dark sedan waited, Mason waiting by it. He opened the back door once he saw them and got into the front passenger seat.

"Are you sure about this, Nan?" Frank asked quickly. He could see Nathan and Anna still struggling through the crowded terminal. "I don't know about this guy."

"Me neither," Nancy said looking back. "But what choice do we have?"

"The first chance we get," Frank replied quietly, "we ditch him."

"Agreed." Nancy climbed into the car first and Frank closed the car door behind him just as Anna finally burst out of the station. Nancy turned to look out the back window as the other woman threw a tantrum and screamed, watching the car pull away.

Frank watched as the train station slipped out of view and the car moved into countryside. He was just about to ask where they were going when he noticed the window separating them from the driver was closed, blocking their view. His internal alarms going off, Frank reached for the door, the locks clicking into place. He gave Nancy a concerned look as gas filtered in through the vents, filling the area.

"I'm sorry to do this to you, Nancy," replied Mason's voice over an intercom. Nancy began coughing as Frank continued trying to open the doors, pounding on the windows. "This was the only way I could get you to listen. Don't worry, though. You won't be harmed in any way. Sweet dreams."

Frank looked around the car, trying to find something to break open the door but nothing was visible. He gazed over at Nancy whose eyes rolled up as she finally passed out. She fell onto the seat before he could reach her.

"Nancy!" Frank cried, coughing. "Mason, you son of a…" The last word wouldn't come out as darkness finally took over, Frank's final thoughts of protecting Nancy.

* * *

"Damn it!" screamed Anna, as the car disappeared down the road. Travelers around them scurried past her in order to avoid confrontation. "We had them! Again! How is it they have this insane luck of getting away from us?"

"Shut up, Anna!" cried Nathan. "We wouldn't have been delayed if you hadn't taken a wrong turn! That's not luck on their part. It's you being completely incompetent in driving a damn car! I'm not going to be the one boiled alive by Mr. Powers for this one either!"

"Oh, yeah?" she got into his face. "I wasn't the one who let a _boy_ get the better of me at the warehouse! Joe Hardy was in your grasp and you let him get away then! Even I could have done better!"

"Let's see you try the next time! I already took the heat for that mess! You, on the other hand, were on the ship and let _her_ get away! I'm surprised you didn't try to kill her then!"

"What?! And have Mr. Powers kill me as well?" Anna looked at him incredulously. "That brat will get hers in the end. Mark my words."

"Whatever." Nathan laughed, pulling out his phone. "And she'll beat the shit out of you again, just like last time." He got quiet suddenly as Powers answered the phone.

"I take it from your tone with Ms. Mitchell that you were not successful, Nathan," replied Powers.

"You are correct, sir," Nathan said stiffly. "Someone was already here by the time we arrived. A man in a suit. They were able to get away."

"This does not please me one bit, Nathan," Powers replied calmly. "I have a feeling who was there though and we will deal with him in due time. We will have to go to our original plan in locating them. I have Marty and Garrison setting up parameters and algorithms for their search. It should find them easily within the next few weeks or months. I'm willing to wait as long as it takes. Get back here. Now!"

"Yes, Mr. Powers," Nathan nodded as the line went dead. "Let's go, Mitchell! Powers wants us back on the double!"

Anna swore again, watching the direction the car took, trying to will it back. She wanted nothing more than to strangle the girl until her eyes popped out. Anything for all the humiliation she had caused her.

"One day, we'll settle this," she mumbled to no one in particular as she followed Nathan to their car.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **I didn't think I would have so much fun in writing this chapter but I did! I love writing the temper tantrums of Anna but also the disdain Nathan has for her. I honestly didn't know this plot twist with Mason was going to exist until a few days ago when I changed up the story yet again. When I brought in the character, I thought he would just be passing through like most of the other minor characters (Grundy for example). Then I thought of a new twist that still brings us to where I want to go with it so hopefully you all like it! Don't forget to review though! You don't know how much it means to me to hear what you have to say! Thanks to those who did for the last chapter!**


	26. Chapter 25

**Author's Note:**

 **This chapter is a bit shorter than my usual ones. I thought it would be best to just let this one set in before the rest of the story came in. Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review!**

Chapter Twenty-Five

Frank was on the edge of consciousness, hearing slight sounds coming from around him. _What?_ he thought. _Where am I?_ Then he heard a familiar voice that made his blood boil over. Frank snapped out of the darkness to find himself strapped to a chair in a small furnished room.

"Frank!" replied Mason. He brought over a chair on wheels and sat facing him as Frank's eyes finally opened. "So glad to see you back with us! I'm sorry I had to strap you down but I had a feeling you would not be in a very happy mood when you woke. I couldn't take that chance."

"Just untie me and I'll show you how happy I can be," Frank growled at him. "Where's Nancy?"

If looks could kill, Mason would be dead right then. Frank searched the room, seeing it was a hotel room but Nancy was nowhere to be seen. He struggled at his bonds as Mason smiled kindly.

"She's resting comfortable next door," Mason stated. "I don't expect her to be as angry as you are currently."

"Then you don't know her very well," Frank glared at him. "Who are you really?"

"Ah, yes," Mason sighed. "I am Assistant Director Mason Wallace..."

"I know that already so cut the crap and tell me who you really are." Mason was silent though he still smiled.

"You got me there," he laughed. "Only one close friend knows who I really work for and that's Carson Drew. Not even Nancy knows because Carson and I made a deal that we wouldn't get her involved in anything. He called me though because he knew I could get a certain FBI agent off your back without giving away that I wasn't in fact FBI myself."

"Okay, then who _do_ you work for?"

"I work for Arthur Grey." Frank's face went white at first then anger surged through him as he tried to get out of the chair suddenly.

"How do I know you don't work for Powers as well?" Frank cried angrily.

"Right after the incident in Chicago and we found out he was behind it, I was put in charge of finding and neutralizing William Powers. This time I didn't even tell Carson about it which he doesn't know now either. I couldn't even though his daughter was inadvertently involved. Arthur wanted me to find you two just as much as he wanted Powers taken down. When you and your brother were brought in five years ago to find the double agent in the Network, you had no clue as to who you were dealing with. Actually, none of us did until it was too late. Powers had already done enough damage to almost bring down the Network but you two stopped him and he didn't like it very much. He had to go into hiding and wait his turn to be able to exact his revenge on you. Thus Dr. Cox came into the picture."

"Okay, so what the hell do you want with us?"

"The two of you posed a different way of battling Powers' organization. As you know, William hired Dr. Cox to make him an invincible assassin who could help bring down the Network from within. The good doctor started with Nancy though he wasn't as nasty to her as he was to you later on. When Powers found out that you and Joe were in Chicago, he ordered Dr. Cox to make one of you that assassin instead because of your troubled history with him and the Network. He thought that it would be perfect but I guess he didn't know about the strong bond of friendship and family that you two obviously possess. It's part of the reason why you were able to break the programming done on the both of you. What we need is for you and Nancy to return to Europe on your own and take down Powers' business practices."

"So, you drugged us to ask for our help and you don't expect us to be angry about that?" Frank looked at Mason and shook his head. "You could have asked us in the car, for god's sake and saved us the trouble!"

"Actually, I overheard your conversation outside the car before we left the station," Mason revealed. "I was worried that you would leave before I had the chance to talk so I took precautions. I'm sorry about that and I was being honest about neither one of you being harmed."

"What happens if we say 'no?'"

"Well, then it gets a bit more complicated," Mason sighed, looking down. "We would need to keep you two under wraps until Powers was in jail. It could take months if not years for that to happen so you'd be put into protective custody and kept hidden for that length of time. I'm not sure either one of you would be willing to do that."

"You're right but I can't make that decision by myself, Mr. Wallace," Frank admitted.

"Why not?" Mason looked confused. "I thought that after all these months, you were the one making the decisions. Am I wrong?"

"At first, no, you are not wrong," Frank said, shrugging his shoulder. "Now, Nancy and I are a team. Not only do we work together, we make decisions together. I can't make her choose what to do anymore than you can force us to do what you want us to do. That's how it works."

"So, you're telling me you have to discuss it with her before the decision is made?"

"Pretty much."

The two men stared at each other. Mason thought it over as to letting Frank go while the younger man's thoughts were only of getting to Nancy. Walking over to Frank, Mason cut the bonds off him. Seconds later, Mason was on the floor from a punch to the face from Frank who stood over him, glaring.

"I guess I deserve that," Mason said, licking his bleeding lip.

"You think?" Frank's anger subsided slightly as he helped the man off the floor then grabbed Mason's lapels, bringing him closer. "Now, where is she?"

"I told you she's in the next room." Mason shrugged out of his grasp and walked over to the door to the adjoining room. He knocked and a woman opened the door seconds later. Ordering her to leave, Mason motioned for Frank to come to the door as the woman stepped out of the way. As Frank crossed the threshold of the door frame, he finally saw Nancy lying on one of the beds. She was on her side, breathing slowly and her arm draped over the side of the bed. Before he could go to her though, Mason stopped him to say something more. "I may be leaving you alone but there's a man at the other door so there's no way to leave the room. Just knock on this door when you're ready."

"Fine. Whatever." Frank's annoyance with him was pretty apparent and the older man closed his door in silence. To make sure that Mason couldn't reenter or listen in without them knowing, Frank closed the second door.

Watching her breathing slowly, Frank had a feeling she was feigning sleep, a tactic that she used before to catch people off guard in order to find the perfect opportunity to strike. He wondered if she knew it was him or not as he walked around to the other side of the bed silently. Nancy never stirred as he crawled on though Frank did see her tense up slightly. Wanting to throw off her guard, Frank started gradually taking his hand, caressing her arm from the wrist up. He second guessed that she really was asleep when she didn't move or make a noise from the gentle strokes on her skin. Frank was about to give up, moving away from her when Nancy elbowed him in the face. She rolled over on top of him, her arm poised in the air to strike.

"Ow! Nancy stop!" he cried, grabbing his nose.

"Frank?" she cried. He answered with a grunt and she leaned over, turning on the light by the bed. Nancy leaned down and hugged him, apologizing for hitting him. "Why didn't you say anything? I thought you were Nathan or worse, Powers!"

"I was trying to catch you off guard because I knew you were awake!" Frank said. He wriggled his nose to make sure it wasn't broken. "I didn't think you'd elbow me!"

"Well, then you deserve it!" Nancy smiled punching him lightly in the chest. "You scared the crap out of me!"

"Really?" Frank smirked. He rolled Nancy back, kissing her as if it had been a lifetime since the last moment they had together.

"Well, Frank," she eventually said, "I take it that we're not with Powers since you are not being paraded in front of me like a trophy."

"No, Nan," he said more serious. "But we do need to talk."

"What about?" Nancy looked concerned. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes and no." Frank went on to explain everything Mason told him right down to the virtual ultimatum of being put into protective custody. He watched her think as he waited for what he said to sink in. He was now sitting next to her on the bed, their hands intwined.

"So," Nancy replied at last, "Mason is Network, though he and Dad both kept that tidbit from me all these years, and he needs our help to bring down Powers. Or we go pretty much to either jail or a worse hotel than this to wait it out while they take care of him. Did I get everything?"

"Yep."

"Okay." Nancy nodded her head and sighed. "What do you think?"

"I think if we play our cards right, they'll leave us alone once it's all over," Frank said. "As long as we fulfill our end of the bargain, that is."

"But do you think we should do it?"

"Do you?"

"Well, I really don't feel like being cooped up in a house or hotel room or jail cell with no contact with the outside world. Sounds a bit boring, if you ask me. Besides, I'm itching to get back at Powers and maybe possibly got after Mitchell."

"My thoughts exactly, Nan," Frank smiled. "Except for the whole thing with Mitchell. She's all yours." He shuddered at the thought of the other woman. Nancy laughed at him, a smile coming to her face that Frank loved most about her.

"So, I guess we're in agreement," Nancy replied.

"I guess so." Frank walked over to the door and knocked. Moments later, Mason was leaning on the dresser waiting for Nancy and Frank to speak, his split lip now prominent.

"We've decided to help," Frank broke the silence.

"But we have a few conditions," Nancy concluded.


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

"Why is it taking so long for this Mason guy to call?" Joe asked tiredly. He gave a big yawn as he stretched out on the couch. Mason left hours before to intercept the train carrying Nancy and Frank. The Hardys and Carson Drew were anxiously waiting for a phone call from the director. "I'm hungry. When are we eating dinner?"

"Sad to say that I agree with Joe," Fenton replied, looking at his wife and then to Carson. "What do you think?"

"We could just order pizza," Laura suggested. "That way we're home if he calls or stops by."

"Sounds good to me," Carson smiled.

Laura left the room to order the pizza while Joe moaned on the couch, wanting food. He was still moaning when the doorbell rang 20 minutes later and he rushed to the door, almost breaking it down for the pizza. A stunned delivery man stood at the door while Joe took the pizzas and yelled for his mom to come pay the guy. He was already devouring his third piece when Carson, Fenton, and Laura strolled into the kitchen moments later.

"Geez, son," Fenton laughed. "Save some for us!"

The four ate at the table, getting into a conversation about what they would do when the situation was finally over.

"I don't think I'm letting Nancy out of my sight for months, if not years," Carson laughed, taking a sip of his drink. "I haven't seen her in so long that it feels like forever rather than a few months."

"Feel the same way, Carson," Laura replied. "But Joe has been keeping up with everything Frank used to do for me."

"Yeah, which is why I can't wait for him to come home!" Joe muttered. Everyone laughed but suddenly stopped when Carson's phone rang. They all stared at it as if the phone began to talk on its own, none of them wanting to hear bad news.

"Hello?" Carson said, finally answering the phone.

"Hey, buddy," replied Mason's cheerful voice. Carson's fear settled a bit at hearing at how happy the man was on the other line. "Sorry it took so long to get back to you. We had a few hiccups to deal with."

"Is everything okay?" Carson asked, looking at the others.

"Oh, yeah. Never better!" Mason replied. "Just had to deal with two of Powers' people as we left the train station. Nothing major."

"So, where are you?"

"Just got into Bayport. Are you still at the Hardy's?"

"Yes, we are sitting at the table, eating pizza."

"I'll see you soon then." Mason hung up the phone before Carson could say anything more. He shook his head, trying to figure out what Mason was going to tell them when he arrived. Within ten minutes, the man rang the doorbell, Fenton getting up to answer it. Mason walked in though Fenton couldn't help noticing a black SUV pull away from the curb. Two other cars were parked along the street, the occupants still in the front seats of the vehicles.

"You're alone?" Fenton asked, more surprised than anything.

"Yes," Mason replied, walking to the kitchen where the others were. He pulled a chair out and sat down. Carson immediately noticed the split lip and black eye Mason sported and wondered how it happened. Laura offered him some pizza though he just asked for a drink, which she obliged. The others waited for him to say anything, watching him closely as Laura brought his drink over. Taking a sip, Mason slightly ignored the stares before turning back to the group.

"You're probably wondering what I'm doing here," he finally said.

"And alone, no matter," Carson replied, a little irritated.

"Yes, about that," Mason started. "I had a conversation with Nancy and Frank. It was good though they were quite pissed at me after what happened at the train station."

"And what happened?" asked Laura, eyeing him. "I'm assuming that it has something to do with the split lip and shiner you have."

"Yes." Mason laughed. "Frank gave the split lip and Nancy gave me the black eye. Go figure but it's a long story that can wait till later. Unfortunately, they will not be joining us this evening. They are on their way to the airport as we speak."

"What do you mean?" Carson asked loudly.

"They're on their way back to Europe," Mason replied.

"What are you talking about?" Joe asked. He shoved a piece of pizza into his mouth and waited.

"Well, I asked for their help and they agreed," Mason shrugged his shoulders and ignored the looks of sheer anger Carson and Fenton were giving him. "Like I said, they agreed with a few conditions."

"What kind of conditions?" Fenton asked.

"It's very complicated but I can tell you a good portion of it," Mason explained. "For one thing, they requested that I divulge everything that we spoke about which I am going to tell you right now. I asked them to help bring Powers down for good. I sent them back to Europe because it's where the bulk of his businesses reside. The other thing I need to say is that I am not FBI, as Carson already knows."

The Hardys looked at Carson as one, wondering what else the lawyer kept from them. Mason caught the looks and shook his head. He explained who he was and his purpose there while getting a scathing look from Fenton.

"Why the hell didn't you tell us this?" Fenton yelled.

"Because I didn't see the need to tell you at the time," Mason explained. "Believe me, Frank was none too happy at this fact either. It's part of the reason why he gave me the fat lip. It's also why he told me that he wanted both you and Joe kept out of the Network from now on. We are not to ask for your help in any way, shape, or form especially with this whole thing with Powers. The only way for that to happen is Powers makes you involved somehow."

Fenton and Joe looked at each other, annoyed that Frank made that decision without consulting them but they understood why he wanted them out of the Network for the time being. Trust was obviously an issue at the moment.

"What are the other conditions?" Carson asked. He was angry but hid his anger well from his friend.

"All of you are to be kept safe until this whole thing is over and I intend to start that right now. I'm sure that Mr. Hardy here noticed the cars out in front of the house. I ordered them to come here once I got off the phone with you, Carson, and when you go home, there will be someone with you at all times. I know it sounds a little intrusive but it is for your own protection. They also asked that once this is all over, we're to leave them alone completely."

"What does that mean?" Laura asked. Fenton was too angry to speak and she could tell her husband was about to blow his top.

"It means that when Nancy and Frank finally come home for good, they lead normal lives." Laura looked a little hopeful at that prospect and squeezed Fenton's hand to calm him down a little. "However, that one has to be approved by Arthur Gray himself. I would love to agree to it but they both understand that it has to go through the right channels as I hope you do too. A few other things were exchanged but nothing you need or should know about. Except for one."

"What's that?" Joe asked.

Mason pulled out an envelope and looked at Joe with a slight smile. Handing it to him, he replied: "This is for you."

Joe looked at him strangely, wiping his hands with a napkin so as not to get pizza sauce and grease on the white envelope. Ripping it open, he instantly recognized the neat handwriting on the letter inside. His eyes moved back and forth as he read, his parents and Carson watching him with interest.

"He's kidding, right?" Joe asked once he was done reading. He put down the letter and looked at Mason in surprise.

"You know him better than I do," Mason shrugged. "Though from I what I've heard, he doesn't 'kid' much. He already gave me the details and all you have to do is say the word and it's done."

Joe looked down at the letter sitting in front of him. He didn't know what to say but he also didn't know if he should oblige what Frank was offering to him. Fenton took the letter and began reading, Laura looking over his shoulder. She gasped, breaking the silence in the room.

"This can't be right, Mason," Fenton replied. He handed the letter to Carson. "Why would he offer to buy a house for Joe? How could he have known?"

"Because I told him," Joe replied quietly. "We had time to talk yesterday and I mentioned about the conversation we had about me moving out. I told him I was saving up for a down payment but the house I wanted was too expensive and I knew it wouldn't still be on the market when I was ready to buy. He seemed interested in what I had to say but he never offered me any money for it."

"Okay, I know we have heard about this money," Carson replied, thoughtfully after a brief silence, "but how much exactly did this account initially have?"

Mason pursed his lips. He didn't want to shock them any more than he already had but Frank and Nancy did want him to divulge everything. He just wasn't sure this was a part of it.

"Mind you," Mason began, "neither one of them knew how much Powers actually paid Dr. Cox until they walked into that bank in Geneva. I'd imagine that it included extra for future research along with acquiring 'subjects' for the experiment."

"How much, Mason?" Carson growled impatiently. The others stared at Mason as he nervously twiddled his hair.

"A quarter of a billion dollars," he finally muttered. Joe's mouth dropped open while Fenton and Laura looked on, wide-eyed.

"You're sure about that?" Carson asked.

"Frank said it himself," Mason said. "They split the money off in different directions so Powers could never touch the money again. Nancy told me she'd never seen so many zeros in her life before and Kyla confirmed it. She has access to the accounts except for two that are exclusively Frank and Nancy's accounts, which is where this money will be coming from. Those two accounts contain the bulk of the initial amount and were designed that way just in case something happened to either one of them. There's an account for each of the others as well. Kyla has kept me informed about everything that has gone on since then."

"What do you mean?" asked Joe, crinkling his forehead.

"Kyla works for you, doesn't she?" Carson stated, looking a bit annoyed.

"Yes," Mason nodded. "For several years, in fact. She just happened upon Frank in a chat room she frequented in her spare time. Not even he knew about her until recently. She was never assigned to him until he contacted her while in Chicago for a few fake IDs. We've been supplying their different identities for the past several months without their knowledge. Until now, that is."

Mason's phone suddenly rang, interrupting the conversation. He answered and listened, soon becoming agitated from what he heard.

"How did this happen?" he cried into the phone. Gunfire could be heard over the line, the group around Mason becoming worried as to what was happening.

"Get on that plane as quickly as you can!" Mason cried, rising from the chair and walking away. "I don't care how you do it, just get there and be gone! I will be there as soon as I can!"

Once he was off the phone, Mason turned back to the others and apologized for his abrupt departure. He was about to open the front door when Joe stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"If this has anything to do with Frank and Nancy then you need to tell us…NOW," he said sternly. The others looked at him and Mason knew that he couldn't keep what he learned, from them.

"I'll tell you on the way," he sighed, opening the door and waving to the SUV parked nearby. "How far is it to Bayport Airport?"

"About a fifteen minute drive," Fenton answered following out the door. "That's if you follow the traffic laws."

All five of them piled into the vehicle and it soon was rushing down the street.

"What is going on?" Laura asked nervously. Fenton was a little apprehensive about bringing her but he didn't want her to be alone at home while something bad could happen to their oldest son again.

"The man on the phone was an agent assigned to escort Frank and Nancy to Europe," Mason explained quickly. He held onto the handle above the door as the driver made a quick turn down a street. "Powers is still here. Him and his men were able to corner them at the airport before they were able to get onto the plane. If we don't make it soon, there won't be anything more we can do to help them."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Sorry it took so long in getting this chapter out! I have written and rewritten this one quite a few times and each time I felt it was worse than the last. Until this version and I'm happy with it! Please don't forget to review! I would love to hear what you think of the story so far and what you think of this chapter! Until next time! Have a lovely evening!**


	28. Chapter 27

**Author's Note:**

 **Happy Fourth of July everyone! I hope that you all are enjoying this beautiful day with your friends and family (hopefully it's not raining where you are!). If you're not from the States, then I hope that you are enjoying your day anyway! This chapter was to be a part of the last one but as you can see, it would have made an extremely long chapter! Didn't want to do that to you! Anyway, as I said in the last chapter, I was having a hard time getting this part right but I think I'm pretty pleased with it overall. Thanks to all who reviewed! Again, I love hearing what you have to say and think about the story! Now, on with it before I get long winded! Enjoy and many blessings to all!**

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The SUV pulled onto the tarmac outside a hangar where a small private jet waited. Nancy looked around nervously, wondering why they decided to come back to Bayport instead of leaving from where Mason found them. _Oh, that's right!_ she thought. _He wanted to discuss everything with us before we left._ Mason explained that he wanted them to go back to Bayport with them. Nancy had a sneaking suspicion that the man wanted her and Frank to actually visit their families. At least Frank put his foot down on that thought. When Mason went into the Hardy's residence, Nancy could tell Frank was homesick. Especially when he caught a glimpse of his father answering the door as they drove off. Although she missed her own father immensely, she knew it was too risky just as much as Frank did. Which is why they fled Bayport to begin with after they sunk Powers' ship.

"Penny for your thoughts, Nan?" Frank said quietly, breaking her train of thought. He looked at her concerned as she quickly swiped at her eye, concealing the tear that was trying to break free. She cleared her throat and looked at him.

"I'm fine, Frank," she said, her voice breaking slightly. He had no idea how much she wanted to stay in the States. Nancy felt off lately, her mind constantly roaming, a fact that she had been keeping from him since they arrived a few days before. Frank took her hand gently and kissed it.

"You know we can still say no," he said calmly. The driver and the other agent with them had already begun to empty out the back of the SUV, taking cases ad luggage to the plane. "I won't blame you if you want to. Just say the word and we'll disappear again."

"No, I'm good," Nancy reassured him though he could tell it was rather reluctantly. She gave him a smile that she reserved just for him and leaned over to kiss him tenderly. They stopped abruptly at the sound of shouting, gunfire soon erupting around them.

"What the…" Frank started. His eyes soon grew wide as he looked behind Nancy's shoulder, seeing something that disturbed him. Pulling Nancy with him, Frank got out of the vehicle to see the two agents firing at several armed men heading their way, William Powers, himself leading them.

"What's going on?" Nancy said frantically. She watched as Frank pulled out his gun, checking the clip.

"Let's get you two out of here!" cried Sanders, their driver. The three tried for the plane only to be stopped by a barrage of bullets. Nancy saw Powers smirking and standing off to the side as his men continued their relentless assault.

"We need cover!" cried Frank, taking aim and firing back. One of the men went down as Frank pulled Nancy behind a stack of crates. He motioned for Sanders and Michaels to follow. "We're sitting ducks out here and, I don't know about you two, but we'd like to live!"

The agents looked to the plane's open door and knew the four of them would never make it. Sanders and Michaels knew they had to get their assets away any way they could. The SUV stood feet away though a bit lopsided as two of the tires were damaged.

"Get to the hangar!" urged Michaels, pointing to the door nearby. Frank nodded and grabbed Nancy's hand, leading her inside as the two agents covered them. Michaels motioned for Sanders to go as he took aim at the men approaching them. Sanders nodded and followed as the other stayed behind. The former driver pulled out his cell phone once the three were situated inside the hangar and dialed a number quickly.

"Who are you calling?" Nancy asked, breathing heavily from exertion.

"Backup."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Mason's SUV screeched to a halt outside the hangar. He could tell the other vehicle was disabled while the jet looked fine from a distance. Ordering the Hardys and Carson to stay in the car for a moment, Mason climbed out and rushed over to the plane. As he stepped on board, he held his gun at ready, searching for any assailants along with the plane's pilots he brought in specifically for the assignment. Not seeing anyone in the cabin, Mason knocked on the cockpit door.

"Davison? Miles?" he said quietly. Mason heard a click as the door eased open revealing a man and a woman sitting on the floor, the former holding a gun. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Mason and holstered the gun. "Either of you hurt?" Mason asked.

"No, sir," the woman shook her head. A noise was heard on the stairs, Mason spinning around, gun ready to see Michaels ascending the stairs.

"Michaels! Where are they?"

"I don't know, sir!" he answered breathlessly. "I turned around and they were gone along with Sanders! The assailants left me behind once they realized their targets were gone. I just saw you and wanted to offer my help."

Mason looked at the agent skeptically, wondering why Powers would let a Network agent go, unharmed. Then he saw Michaels twitch nervously just enough that made Mason put his red alert on. He had a feeling that Michaels wasn't being completely truthful especially when Mason saw the agent tighten his grip on his weapon. Raising his gun to eye level, Mason watched as the man tried to smile to get out of his predicament.

"Why?"

"Sir?"

"Stop! Just tell the truth for once!" Michaels face changed from concern to menace in a matter of seconds once he realized he'd been made by his boss.

"Because I knew Powers long before you arrived, _Mason_ ," Michaels sneered. "You took the job I was meant to have. Will even told me that I was to be his successor but no. The Gray Man had other ideas. When I got the chance, I tipped off Powers as to where we were. Now, there's no escape."

Michaels tried to bring up his gun to throw Mason off but the director shot the double agent in the chest, killing him instantly. The man's body fell backward off the plane and onto the tarmac where it lay still. Mason looked back at the two pilots, knowing they would back up the story if need be.

"Start the engine and get ready to roll out the moment you see the assets come out, wherever they are," Mason ordered to the two pilots. They nodded in acknowledgment and immediately began prepping the plane for take-off but not before one of them said something.

"They're in the hangar, sir," the male pilot replied, pointing outside. "We saw them go in about fifteen minutes ago."

"Thanks," Mason said heading to the open door. "Now, get moving!"

He scrambled down the stairs, stepping over Michaels' body at the bottom. Once he pulled the wheel chocks away, Mason rushed back over to the SUV and opened the hatch.

"What do you need me to do, sir?" asked his driver, coming up beside him as Mason opened a secret compartment.

"I need you with me, Jilson," Mason replied pulling out several weapons from the compartment and handing them to the driver. Gunfire erupted once again, this time coming from the hangar nearby. Two more cars pulled up behind them with four agents getting out to help, all well armed.

"We want to help," Fenton said from inside the SUV. Mason looked up at his and Joe's determined faces and hesitated.

"No!" Mason cried. "Stay here…"

"I don't think so," Joe interrupted, getting out of the car. Fenton followed him before Mason could protest. Laura and Carson stayed in the car, watching the scene with wide-eyes. "We're helping no matter what you or Frank say."

Mason got quiet for a split second before handing each of them a gun and clips. He didn't think Frank would appreciate it if he knew his father and brother were helping the Network. But then again, it was their decision not his. Taking out an assault rifle, the other agents gathered around to hear their orders from Mason.

"You stay with the agents at all times," he ordered Fenton and Joe. "I don't want your deaths on my conscience, nor do I want the wrath of Frank Hardy again. Stay with them and flank Powers and his men from this side of the building." He pointed to the left of the hangar.

After the Hardys nodded in acknowledgment, Mason gave out orders to the agents before turning back to Carson and Laura. The two stared at him from the backseat through the open hatch of the SUV.

"Stay here and don't leave the car," Mason said. "It's bulletproof and should protect you. And keep the doors locked at all times."

"Come back safely," Laura cried to her husband and son.

The distant sound of sirens could be heard approaching the airport. Mason knew time was of the essence to get Nancy and Frank onto the plane and ordered the roll-out after closing the hatch. As two of the agents led Fenton and Joe toward the left side of the building, Mason guided the other three to the right. He knew Nancy, Frank, and Sanders were trapped somewhere in the building and he wanted to take Powers by surprise by flanking him and his men. He hoped the plan worked as a diversion to get the other three out to the plane safely.

As soon as Mason and the agents with him stepped through the hangar door, they were battered with gunfire from above. One of the agents went down as the others were able to seek cover. Mason now knew the reason why no one was able to get out of the hangar. There was a sniper above guarding the main door. He hoped that the sniper couldn't see the other group go in on the other side. Mason and the remaining agents found cover behind crates and other materials, following the line around the side until he saw Nancy, Frank, and Sanders huddled behind an overturned metal desk. Frank and Sanders traded gunfire with Powers' men who were across the way behind their own set of crates and boxes. Mason motioned for them to notice him, Nancy catching his actions as she huddled next to Frank. She nudged him who looked relieved to see Mason. Sanders, beside him, took aim once more and began shooting.

"What took you so long?" Frank cried loud enough for Mason to hear.

"I was detained at your family's house," he protested, shooting off a few shots in between. "They insisted on coming too! Sanders called while we were still talking."

"What?!" Frank cried, looking at him incredulously. "We had a deal, Mason! If anything happens to them…"

"We'll worry about that later," Nancy interjected. "Do you have a plan on getting us out of here?"

"Yes. We'll cover you as you three get away," Mason cried. He put away the handgun he had, pulling out the assault rifle. "The plane is ordered to move the moment you come out of the hangar. Now get moving!"

"What about the sniper above?" Frank asked, pointing above him. Mason looked up to see a man perched above with a mean looking rifle, waiting for the first chance he could get to shoot. Taking aim, Mason knew he couldn't hit him from where he was at and looked at Frank, who was holding his hand out for the rifle. Mason threw it over to him and Frank immediately put the sight to his eye and found the sniper. Sanders and the other agents continued to shoot to cover him as he pulled the trigger, hitting the sniper in the arm. The force of the bullet knocked the man over and he plummeted to the ground.

"Nice shot," Nancy called as Frank handed the gun back to Mason.

"I missed," Frank replied. "I was aiming for his chest."

"Go! Now!" cried Mason impatiently. He radioed the other group and as one, they all started firing simultaneously, giving cover to Nancy, Frank, and Sanders as they scrambled to the door. Out of the corner of his eye, Frank saw both his dad and Joe firing away at Powers and his men, causing him to stop in amazement. Nancy took the pause to pull off her heels to be able to run better but soon pushed him toward the door.

"Let's go, Frank!" cried Nancy. Sanders was already way ahead of them, running toward the now moving plane. Frank led Nancy across the tarmac, ignoring shouts and the continuing gunfire from the hangar. He let go of her for a moment to get onto the stairs of the plane and turned back toward her to find Nancy struggling to get aboard. Her bare feet almost tripping, she was reaching out for him as Sanders held on to make sure Frank didn't fall off.

"Come on, baby," Frank cried to her, urging Nancy to speed up. Their fingers were inches away from each other and he was almost able to grab on to her hand when Frank felt it slip through. He was scared that he wasn't going to get her on board without killing her in the process. He saw several people chasing behind her and screamed for Nancy move as the plane began to turn.

* * *

Laura saw the police vehicles arrive and got out of the SUV the moment the first one stopped. As Carson exited, Chief Collig was already speaking with Laura about what was going on. She was trying to convince him not to go in since it was already being handled by someone. Suddenly a heavy amount of gunfire exploded from the hangar and the plane began to move toward the runway. What shocked everyone was when three people burst from the hangar, running as fast as they could toward the plane. Carson's heart skipped a beat as he saw Nancy last, holding on to Frank Hardy's hand as they ran. He saw that she was having trouble keeping up as her bare feet slapped on the ground.

Both Carson and Laura, who noticed the group as well, tried to call for them though the shouts went unheeded. Alone with several police officers, the two rushed after them to catch up. Carson almost had a heart attack as Frank was trying desperately to grab Nancy's hand as she tried to get on board the plane. Just as the jet rounded a corner, Frank was able to finally grab a hold of her hand, pulling Nancy onto the plane's stairs.

Stopping a good distance away, Carson, Laura, and the police watched as the plane rounded the last curve onto the main runway, the hatch finally put into place. Mason rushed up behind them with Fenton, Joe, and the remaining agents just as the plane stopped, preparing to take off. Carson gave a sigh of relief knowing his daughter was safe but he wished she stayed.

Mason turned around to see four pick-up trucks peel out from behind the hangar and away from the airport. He knew Powers had gotten away again but Mason was glad to see that the plan paid off. Moments later, the plane finally took off, those on board leaving friends and family behind to wonder if and when they would ever return again for good.


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

William Powers watched from his truck as the plane took off. He couldn't believe Frank and Nancy were able to get away for the third time in two days. He had them but this time, it wasn't incompetence that helped them get away. It was Mason Wallace, the man who took his place in the Network! Powers had an insider in the form of Agent Michaels but Lord knows what happened to the man. When Michaels called him about where they would be in Bayport, Powers thought his luck had finally come in. All Michaels had to do was get Hardy, the girl, and the other agent into the hangar. Powers had it from there with his sniper in place to guard the main exit and the rest of his men lying in wait. Their orders were specific. The extra agent was to die while Hardy was to be incapacitated. He wanted the girl alive long enough for Hardy to witness her death by Powers' hand.

The plan was perfect…until that agent was able to call for backup. Wallace took them all by surprise and not only did he have agents helping, he had Fenton and Joe Hardy as well! Could this get any worse?

"Where to, Mr. Powers?" asked the driver. The boss was silent for a few minutes, thinking. There was only one thing he could think of to do.

"Head to the airstrip where my plane is," he ordered. "We're going back home."

* * *

The moment the plane was at a high altitude and stable, Nancy went to the back to be alone. For a private jet, it was extremely nice with comfortable seats and a private bedroom in the back. She sat down on the bed and began to cry, wondering why she didn't just let go of Frank's hand and stay behind. _Because you love him too much to stay_ she thought. Nancy missed her dad very much and wished she could have just seen him for a split second before she left.

Although Frank didn't follow Nancy to the bedroom, he knew she was upset. He knew that leaving once again was bringing back the memories of them rushing into the whole mess eight months before. This time though, they made the decision together so Frank wondered what was causing her to be so upset. When Mason found them outside the Canadian border, Frank felt for sure the director was working for Powers. Especially when the man gassed them inside the car. When he woke in the hotel room tied to a chair, Frank was more worried about never seeing Nancy again than getting out of the predicament. Thinking that Powers took her again like he did from their hotel, Frank wanted nothing more than to hurt Mason for what he did. When he saw Nancy lying on the bed, completely unharmed and looking as beautiful as she always did, Frank felt relieved and knew what he had to do. Although he didn't like the director's tactics, Frank understood where Mason was coming from.

He stopped thinking as he heard sobbing coming from the back room, which was unusual for Nancy. Excusing himself from Sanders, who was reading a magazine, Frank knocked and heard a very quiet "Go away, Frank," through the door. Ignoring the order, he walked in, closing the door behind him. Nancy was sitting on the bed, maneuvering herself away from him so he couldn't see her face.

"Why can't you listen, Frank Hardy?" she replied, never turning to face him.

"Because I'm stubborn just like someone else I know," he said with a laugh, trying to break the tension permeating the room. "Besides, I love you too much to not come in and comfort you. It's my job."

Nancy laughed at this though she sniffled loudly. Frank walked around the bed to face her. When she finally looked up at him, he was at a loss for words at seeing how much she was upset. Her face was streaked and blotchy from the amount of tears she shed and her beautiful blue eyes were red and bloated.

"Hey," Frank said calmly, kneeling before her. He took her hands and kissed them tenderly. "What is going on, Nan? You know you can tell me."

"It's just that," she started and sniffled loudly once again. He leaned over and grabbed some tissues from a nearby box, dabbing her eyes gently. "I miss home so much. I miss Dad. I miss Hannah."

"I know, sweetheart," he replied softly, rubbing her arms. Frank felt bad for Nancy. He knew she really wanted to stay. Hell, he almost said no too in order to stay behind. But when Powers showed up at the airport, Frank knew the man would never go away, no matter what they did. Unless they were able to put him away for good that is. Holding her close and feeling her tremble in his arms, Frank didn't have the heart to tell her he saw her father. While Nancy was trying to reach for him to get on the plane, he looked up to see not only Mr. Drew racing behind them to catch up but his own mother as well. Nancy cried loudly as Frank shifted to sit on the bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her body.

"Shhh," he whispered to her. Frank wanted nothing more than to stop the pain of her missing her life. Suddenly Nancy pushed him away, rushing out of the room and into the bathroom. As he approached the door, he heard the sounds of retching from within. "Nancy? Are you okay?"

He wasn't sure what to think anymore as she opened the door, wiping her mouth with a towel. Her face was pale and slightly sweaty as she wrapped her arms around him again.

"I don't know what's gotten into me lately," Nancy replied, her voice muffled as her face sobbed into his chest. "I guess all that crying made me gag."

"Everything all right?" asked Sanders, coming up behind them.

"Yeah," Frank replied, guiding Nancy into the bedroom again. "She's just a little upset, that's all."

He closed the door without hearing what else Sanders had to say and led Nancy to the bed. Pulling down the covers and tucking her in, Frank gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Get some rest, Nancy. I'll be in the main cabin if you need me."

"Don't go," she whispered, grabbing a hold of his arm before he could leave. Her eyes glistened with more tears as he looked down at her. "Please?"

Frank knew he couldn't leave her in this state and sighed. Nancy seemed so fragile but it confused him a bit. She was always so strong and able to handle anything but whatever was bugging her truly upset her to the brink of breaking down completely. He thought maybe the months of being on the run were finally getting to her. Nodding his head, Frank went around to the other side of the bed and slipped his shoes off. He knew their flight would be long but he didn't really want to sleep right away. Too many things were running through his mind.

As Frank got under the covers, Nancy snuggled into him with his arm wrapped around her. Within moments, he could hear her breathing deeply in peaceful slumber. Stifling a yawn, Frank closed his eyes thinking he would just rest with her for a few minutes. A deep sleep came over the both of them, one that they desperately needed. Time flew by as the plane continued its journey across the ocean and into a world both Nancy and Frank didn't really want to go back into.

* * *

"Are you okay?" asked Fenton, seeing Laura next to him. The plane took off moments before and she was crying, her face streaked from the tears. As if seeing her husband for the first time in a while, Laura grabbed a hold of his neck and squeezed Fenton in a massive hug.

"I'm perfectly fine," she said, smiling at him. It had been a while since the last time he had seen his wife smile so beautifully that it brought a smile to his own face. "As long as Frank is fine, then so am I!"

"But he couldn't stay or even say 'hello,'" Fenton replied. "Why are you so happy?"

"Because I saw him!" she cried. Laura bounced with excitement and took notice of Joe standing on the other side of Fenton, looking at her strangely. She grabbed a hold of her younger son and began giving him hugs and kisses as if he were three.

"Mom! Stop!" Joe cried, trying to push her away but she just kept going. Some of the officers who knew him snickered behind their hands at the scene. Finally able to get away from his mother and her tirade of kisses, Joe made himself scarce, finding Carson and hiding near the older man. Carson laughed, shaking his head though he positioned his body just enough that Joe was nearly hidden by him.

"I feel sorry for Frank when he gets back," Joe muttered causing Carson to laugh again. "Wait! No I don't! He deserves it for leaving me behind…again!"

"He owes you one, anyway," Carson replied. "I think he can take one for the team though maybe I'll save him from the amount of kisses your mother will probably bestow upon him. I owe him myself."

"How's that?"

"He's taking care of Nancy and that's all that matters to me right now." Carson smiled just slightly at the thought before walking over to Mason, who was talking to Chief Collig. Joe followed behind just to keep away from his mother.

"Sorry you were dragged into this at the last minute, Chief," Mason replied with a smile. Carson always knew when his old friend was putting on an act and it was coming on strong at the moment. "I would have given you fair warning that this was going on but there wasn't a lot of time."

"I'm just not happy about people shooting up our little airport in the middle of the night," Collig growled, though it was still rather early in the evening. "If Laura hadn't been out here to explain, we would have gone in, guns blazing and killed the wrong people. A heads up would have been nice, Mr. Wallace."

"Of course," Mason smiled again. "Our bad. I assure you that if anything like this happens again, you will be the first to know of any operation."

"For your sake, I hope there isn't a next time." Collig looked around before adding: "It looks like you have everything under control."

"Yep, we're good on the cleanup end. You can head home, Chief."

"That was close, Mason," Carson replied once the chief was out of earshot. Joe was shocked that Collig walked away without ripping Mason a new one and had a new found respect for the director.

"Oh, I think since the Hardys were involved," Mason replied with a nod, "he knew not to add anything to it. Seems the family is not the only one who misses Frank."

"I can believe that," Joe said. "Collig always like Frank a lot."

Mason's phone suddenly rang interrupting their conversation. He answered it after one ring.

"Everything all right, Sanders?" Carson and Joe turned in interest at the mention of the agent's name. They knew it was the same one who helped get Nancy and Frank on board the plane. Listening intently to the phone conversation, Joe motioned for his parents to join them and Mason, who kept his voice low as he spoke.

"Oh, good. I thought there was something wrong since you weren't supposed to call me till you reached Ger…" Mason stopped himself before saying the destination, seeing the attention the phone call was receiving. "Just keep me apprised of the situation and we'll deal with it if need be…Yes, you'll be returning home once you deliver the packages…No, it's their jet for now so I don't think you're going to have that luxury, Sanders. Enjoy the flight and I'll see you in a few days."

"What's going on?" Fenton asked a little worried.

"Oh, nothing," Mason replied with a smile. "Just a little air sickness, that's all."

"Who got sick?" Laura asked, concerned.

"Apparently Nancy got herself so worked up, she threw up."

"Why was she so worked up?" Carson asked.

"She didn't want to leave," Mason replied sadly, never taking his eyes off his friend. "She's fine now. Don't worry."

He smiled again before leaving them all to join in the cleanup of the hangar. Carson didn't say anything but he wondered what could have gotten Nancy so upset when she was normally calm and collected.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Well, here I go again with a late update. Sorry about that! I hope that you all are enjoying the story thus far. Please let me know what you think or if you have any thoughts! I'd love to hear what you have to say! Thanks for reading and continuing on with the journey!**


	30. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

A week later, Frank and Nancy sat in the back of a van situated in a parking garage across the street from a large, brick building. He was dressed as a security guard while she was dressed in a conservative dress and white lab coat. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun and glasses rested upon her nose. Although it was evening, it wasn't that late with people still entering and exiting the building. The two looked like they would fit it with those around them though a slight air of nervousness was present between them.

They spent the entire week in Berlin, Germany preparing for their first task which was to burn down the lab where the synthetic drug was being made. Wanting to make sure they had ample information on the building before entering it, Frank and Nancy conversed together along with the agent with them and Mason via secure video link. With all preparations finally in place and their plan intact, they were ready to take on the task before them.

"You two set?" asked the agent in the driver's seat of the van. He turned around in the seat to get a better look at them.

"As ready as we can be," Frank replied, checking a gun he had in his hand. Nancy didn't say anything though she fiddled with her glasses.

"Once you leave, check your coms," the driver replied. "And don't go in together, okay?"

"What are we, stupid?" Nancy muttered, looking down at the floor of the van. Frank snorted a little though the driver didn't hear her. She kind of reminded Frank of Joe as he probably would have said the same thing in the situation though his brother would have said it loud enough for everyone to hear. The couple understood what they needed to do and neither of them wanted someone telling them otherwise. Looking to Frank, Nancy gave him a smile as she readjusted her glasses. Smiling back, he took her hand and kissed it before she gave a wave and climbed out of the van, a small bag in her hand. Frank waited a few minutes before he followed her.

"See you on the other side," he said nonchalantly to the driver. The agent was ordered to stay where he was until they exited the building unless a different extraction point was given. He watched as Frank walked slowly across the street and enter the building, waiting for the two to return with the job complete.

* * *

"Earth to Joe?" replied a voice. He looked over to the woman sitting across from him, her gray-blue eyes full of concern.

"What? Oh, sorry, Van," Joe stammered, rubbing his hands over his face. He had so much on his mind that he was completely ignoring Vanessa on their date that evening. It had been over a week since he saw Frank and Nancy at the airport and his concern was mounting not knowing what was going on with two of the most important people in his life.

"I know you're worried about Frank and Nancy," she said tenderly, reaching across the table to hold his hand. The two were sitting in their favorite restaurant in Bayport and had just finished their meal. "Has Mr. Wallace sent any news yet?"

"No, and I'm getting a little bit impatient. I hate being on the sidelines let alone being thousands of miles from the action. Plus, Mom and Dad are driving me nuts about when Mason would be calling. I just don't understand why they're being so anal about everything."

"How is everything going with the house?" Vanessa asked, sensing Joe needed a change in subject. She couldn't wait until he moved into the house she helped him pick out.

"Oh, yeah!" Joe perked up. "I called the realtor with an official offer. I can't believe I'm saying that! She said she would call back when she knew if the offer was accepted or not. Thank god Dad got out of the whole Frank slump long enough to help me on it. I still can't believe my brother gave me the money to buy the place!"

"Well, he is your brother, Joe," Vanessa smiled. She caressed his hand as he smiled back. "Why wouldn't he help out? Besides, isn't it kind of sticking it to this Powers guy by using his own money for good?"

"You know, you're right!" Joe cried, grinning broadly. Even though he couldn't get in on the action, he was definitely mocking the crime boss by using the man's money, even if he didn't know it. "That made my day, Van!"

"And that's why you love me." Vanessa leaned over and kissed Joe. They didn't care that they were in a fancy restaurant or what anybody thought. The couple wer just happy to be together. Their moment though was interrupted when Joe's phone went off. He looked down at the message and gasped.

"What is it?" Vanessa asked, concerned.

"It's Dad. He said Mason just called. There's news." Joe looked up at her worried but soon calmed down when she gave him a soft smile.

"Let's go then!" Vanessa stood up and grabbed her purse. Since they already paid for their meal, the couple walked out into the late summer evening, heading to Joe's car.

Just walking hand-in-hand with Vanessa made Joe's heart flutter, with thoughts of his future scrolling through his mind. He wanted so much to be with her but he also wanted to see what was going on with his brother before he acted upon his feelings. The two were quiet as they drove back to the house and Joe's thoughts came to a crashing halt as he pulled into the driveway. Laura came rushing out of the house, beckoning her son to come quickly. Joe exchanged a look with Vanessa, both thinking the same thing: Something bad happened.

As the two came into the kitchen, Joe noticed the house phone sitting in front of his parents, Carson's voice emanating from it. Nancy's father left days before, needing to get home for a trial that was about to start so Joe was a bit surprised to hear the lawyer's voice on the phone instead of Mason's.

"We're all here, Mason," Fenton replied, looking back at Joe and Vanessa. He gave his son a questioning look about the girl but didn't say anything as Mason's voice soon came out of the speaker phone.

"Oh, good. We can finally get started," Mason replied pleasantly. "I was given permission by Arthur Gray to disclose anything _after_ it occurred as part of our agreement with Nancy and Frank. I cannot tell you where they are going next but I can tell you that they were in…"

"Germany," interrupted Carson. "We figured that out days ago when you slipped slightly. Plus it's been all over the news about some kind of lab for a pharmaceutical company. Am I correct?"

"Yes, you are, Carson," Mason said sternly. "The company was a front for Powers in order for him to manufacture the synthetic drug that he was trying to distribute. The warehouse in Bayport was chosen for that and another reason as well."

"What reason was that?" Fenton asked.

"To draw out Frank," Mason answered. "Or at least that is what some of us believe. There was another warehouse located in Michigan that we believe was to be the original distribution center for the drug. That same warehouse was destroyed by another team here in the states. Since we confiscated the drugs from the ship, we were able to determine its point of origin: Berlin. Nancy and Frank went in posing as a lab technician and security guard to do two things: start a fire in the lab to destroy the drug and to plant a computer virus in their mainframe to destroy all lab notes, solutions, equations, and anything else on how to make the drug. I'm happy to say that it was successful and no one was initially hurt in the eventual explosion. We didn't expect that to happen though."

"What is this drug, anyway?" asked Joe.

"Good question, Joe," Mason said. "Take Heroin and make it more addictive and deadly after too many uses. That is what the drug was intended to do and it could have been released onto the streets of the US within a matter of weeks, causing an epidemic of epic proportions. We're currently looking into any other labs Powers may have had along with distribution centers around the globe. So far, we haven't found any more labs but distribution centers are mainly located in the states, including the two that were already destroyed."

"Who's this other team you spoke of?" Carson asked. He had a feeling who it was but wanted his friend to confirm it.

"Ah, that is something I can't tell you," Mason said politely. "The group is good though, consisting of a few people with whom you've had contact with before."

At hearing this, the Hardys all understood what the director meant though they remained silent along with Carson.

"Is there anything else you can tell us?" Laura asked hopeful. She wanted to hear how her son was mainly instead of hearing about the operation that went on in Berlin.

"They're fine, Laura," Mason said, sensing what she wanted to hear. "Like I said before, I can't tell you where they are headed but I assure you they are safe. Well, I don't think there is anything else I can tell you right now. I will keep you all posted on everything going on but don't expect the news to come quickly. I assure you that as of right now, things are moving smoothly but I'm not sure how long that will last. It will get tougher as each day goes by especially when Powers catches wind of what is happening to his businesses. Have a good evening, everyone."

"Mason!" cried Carson on the other line but he was greeted with nothing but silence.

"That was rude," Laura said, dejected.

"Don't worry, Laura," replied Fenton. "It's just the way things are handled. He'll call back in the future and I'm sure it will be good news just as it was today."

"I guess that's that then," Joe said, walking out of the kitchen. His parents watched concerned as he left though they didn't follow once Vanessa went after him.

Joe was bummed hearing about the operation. He wanted desperately to be there and around the action but knew it was for the best that he was here this time. At least Joe felt comfort in knowing that the first operation went well and no one was hurt but in the back of his mind, something troubled him. He wondered how long it was going to take for Powers to figure out who was behind these actions before he did something drastic. What concerned Joe more than anything, was what could possibly happen to Frank or Nancy when that time finally came.

* * *

Powers face was fuming. He sat at his desk at his new office overlooking London, a stack of papers sitting in front of him. Since the lab in Berlin was destroyed weeks before, he had to move the drug manufacturing to London so he could watch over the place. Thankfully, Garrison had backup information on the drug and was able to restart the lab without any fuss. Unfortunately, the rest of Powers' businesses around Europe were starting to be attacked from within and he wasn't sure how it was being done. From surveillance video recovered from the lab and sex-trade brothels he owned, Powers soon figured out who it was that was attacking his businesses…and he was not happy. A knock came at the door bringing him back to reality.

"What is it?" he cried as the door opened. Nathan and Anna both walked in, stopping before their boss. "Oh, yes. I wanted to see you two. Put extra security on the remaining lab here in London. I want it to be completed by the end of the year without those two infiltrating it again!"

"Yes, sir," Anna replied glumly.

"Sir, I have some bad news," Nathan replied without hesitation. "Two more of our warehouses in the States have been destroyed. Plus, we've gotten word of some resistance at the border to Mexico to stop our illegal weapon trade."

"How is this happening?!" Powers yelled, slamming his fist down onto his desk. "How are they getting from one place to another without us knowing?"

"I believe that there may be a second team in the States, Mr. Powers," Nathan replied. "Mr. Hardy and Ms. Drew are still in Europe somewhere while another group is doing damage elsewhere. Surveillance video has not been able to confirm who it is since they are wearing ski masks."

"Increase security everywhere if you have to!" Powers yelled. "Bring in more men! I don't care! Just stop these people from making it even worse! I want you and Anna in the lab at all times! This is more important than anything and I have a feeling that those two will be attempting another operation on the new lab. I'm losing money every day that drug isn't on the streets! Get moving and don't come back here unless you have news of their demise!"

Anna scrambled out of the room while Nathan nodded in acknowledgment to the order. Although he didn't show it, he feared his boss more than anything on the planet. Nathan wanted nothing more than to please Mr. Powers and he was itching to make sure that his boss would be happy.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I am so sorry it took me so long to get this out! I have been having some major brain crampage on where I wanted to go from the last chapter. I know, I know. I moved through several months by the end of this chapter but I didn't want the action to be redundant or repetitive of going through each of the jobs the characters were going through. Just to give you a heads up as to where we are at in the year here, it's still August at the beginning but by the time you get to Powers at the end of this chapter, it's around Halloween. I wanted to get things moving as we come into the final stretch (which we're not quite there yet!). And yes, I finally brought in Vanessa. Count on her popping up more often over the course of the rest of the story! Thanks again for following, reading, and reviewing! I appreciate anything you have to say and love hearing what you think! Have a great evening and enjoy!**


	31. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Joe stood in the middle of the empty living room, taking in everything. The fireplace and mantel, the built-in bookshelves, the white walls, the giant picture window overlooking a lovely neighborhood, everything seemed perfect. He was in shock. The house was his. It was the first real responsibility he ever held in his life and Joe still couldn't believe it. They closed on the house just hours before and he decided to go in before his parents arrived to celebrate with him and Vanessa. He could hear her upstairs, excitedly moving from room to room. Her voice emanating downstairs as she expressed what she wanted to do with each room. Joe knew this was her house just as much as his though he wondered when it would become a reality.

Looking around the empty room once again, Joe thought of his own ideas as to what he wanted to do with the house. The only thing that kept repeating over and over in his head though was the woman who walked back into the living room, a large grin etched on her flawless face. Taking her hand, he thought about what he could do to change their current situation.

"This house is so amazing!" she cried, giving him a hug. "I absolutely love the fact that we chose this together!"

Joe hugged her back, not saying a word. When she pushed away, Vanessa gave him a strange look.

"What?" she smiled.

"Move in with me," Joe finally blurted out before his brain realized what he said.

"Wait…what?"

"I said, 'move in with me,'" Joe repeated, now worried about her initial reaction. The worry dissolved when her face lit up like a Christmas tree and she planted a large kiss on his face.

"That's what I thought you said!"

The couple hugged tightly as Joe thought about his brother. The house wouldn't have been a reality without Frank's help and Joe knew that the next time he saw him, he would do something in thanks. The moment though was his and Vanessa's and the thought of Frank soon dissolved from Joe's mind.

* * *

Mason scanned the intel in front of him. He just received word that an informant of his was in trouble and his mind was racing as to what they needed to do in order to extract the person. A few weeks before, while Frank and Nancy were taking care of a few of the brothels owned by Powers, Mason received information about a new lab that was set up just outside of London. He told the couple that they could be on a mini vacation for the next week before they needed to be in London for preparation of the op. This new intel though was going to put a dent in all of their plans since the timeline had to be moved up. Mason was just worried about why the informant suddenly had an urge to get out.

With most of Powers' operations in Europe destroyed, the crime boss was now being elusive, with Mason clearly wondering where the man was located and when he would be apprehended. This last assignment may prove to be a bit of an issue since most of the places where Frank and Nancy recently went to were highly guarded after the first three places were attacked. Mason is counting on the increased security and his team is currently working on ways to infiltrate the last remnant of Powers' organization in Europe. With the urgent message from the informant, Mason had no choice but to move the time up. He just hoped Frank and Nancy would forgive him for interrupting their much needed vacation.

* * *

"When are we supposed to go to London?" asked Nancy, fidgeting with her shirt. Frank sat across from her at a café in Brussels, Belgium. They just finished their last assignment days before and were given the latest information on the lab that the Network located in London.

"A week," Frank replied. He was relieved that they finally got a chance to calm down for a little bit before they were to go to London. "At least he is giving us a little mini vacation before we need to return to reality."

"I know but it is just so close to the holidays," Nancy pouted. "I thought that maybe we could actually have Christmas back in the States but at the rate we're going, we'll be lucky to get home before the new year."

The two were taking some much needed downtime before meeting up with the Network team assigned to them in London. The past few months since leaving New York abruptly have been hectic for them as every moment was spent either researching their assignments or actually doing them. Mason gave them the opportunity to rest just because of this fact and wanted the couple to be well rested before they had to jump back into fighting Powers.

They were sitting inside a little café in Brussels, having just finished their dinner. Frank took Nancy's hand and the two bundled up to go outside into the early December weather. Thanksgiving had just passed the week before but since it was an American holiday, Europe seemed to go from Halloween directly into the holiday season. Store fronts were lit brightly with Christmas decorations and lights, each one trying to entice the numerous shoppers walking past. The air was getting colder as Nancy snuggled into Frank, his arm wrapper firmly around her shoulders.

Knowing Christmas was coming, the couple already began shopping for their family and friends in every city they were in. It was in the hopes that they would be home by the holiday but since Powers had been elusive to them, that hope began to fade as December began. More than likely they would have to employ Mason or some other Network agent to deliver the packages without the trouble of using standard shipping.

As for Nancy and Frank, their relationship had grown stronger as the months progressed. They knew one day they would have to tell their families, with the exception of Joe who already knew. For nearly five months, they were inseparable and loved their moments together though they were very rarely alone until they reached Brussels. There were still moments that they fought but those times usually ended with one of them storming out for fresh air, leaving the other to sulk in silence. By the time the argument was over, they were both fast asleep in bed, reconciled with what they argued about completely forgotten.

Walking into their hotel, Frank stopped when his cell phone rang with a message from Mason's personal number. As he read the message, Frank led Nancy to the elevators and swore loudly as the doors closed.

"What is it?" Nancy asked concerned, thankful that the elevator was empty.

"He wants us in London tomorrow," Frank replied through gritted teeth. He squeezed the phone tightly as if trying to strangle something. Nancy gently placed her hand on his to loosen his grip.

"Why? I thought we had a few more days."

"I don't know why, Nan," Frank replied annoyed. "He said we'd be briefed when we arrived in London…Damn it!"

They stepped off the elevator onto their floor and walked slowly to their suite. Frank was furious especially since neither one of them have been alone since New York. The moment they entered their suite, Nancy headed to the dresser and began unloading the clothes she meticulously unpacked just the day before. She sighed in defeat, coming across the paperwork she received the day before they arrived. The papers were hidden from Frank as she wasn't prepared to tell him what they were about. A single tear fell down her cheek that she swiped quickly in order for Frank not to see.

"Something doesn't sound right about this, Nan," Frank said as he pulled his own clothes from the closet, throwing them into his suitcase. He looked over at her when she didn't answer, noticing she stopped packing, her shoulders trembling. "Are you okay?"

"What? Oh, yeah," Nancy quickly said, folding a piece of paper and shoving it into her pocket. He could tell something was bothering her but he wasn't quite sure as to what. She soon resumed her packing as Frank continued to watch her with interest and concern.

"Are you sure you're okay, Nan?"

"I'm fine, Frank," was all she said. Nancy continued to keep her back to him, finally pulling some clothes from a drawer and rushing into the bathroom without looking at him. "Will you let the pilots know we're leaving first thing in the morning?"

"Yeah," Frank muttered as the door closed. He heard the lock click and the sound of the water running in the tub seconds later. Knowing when not to bother Nancy in one of her strange moods, Frank resumed his own packing. As he finished and sat on the bed to watch TV, he wondered what she was looking at and when she would tell him what was bugging her.

* * *

Nancy stepped into the large tub and though she wanted it to be hot, it was rather warm instead. Just the way she was told it could be. She was nervous about what Frank was thinking at the moment. Knowing she had been awful to him for weeks, Nancy knew she needed to talk to him, especially after what she found out just days before. She gave an excuse to go shopping on her own for him for Christmas and went to visit a doctor instead. It was right after they finished their assignment of helping the displaced women from a few of the brothels. She and Frank were to get the women and young ladies ready to be sent home to be with their families after months (or years) of being separated from them. It hit close to home for Nancy since she missed her own family and friends after months of being on the run from Powers. It was closing in on a year since she last officially saw her dad and every time Frank brought up the subject of returning home, she would see what these women were going through and wanted to help instead. Her father would understand just as much as Frank's parents but her heart was still breaking.

Now that she finally saw a doctor about she had been experiencing lately, Nancy really wanted to go home but she didn't think it was the right time to tell Frank of their predicament. She wanted to wait until their job in London was over knowing the moment he found out, Frank would make sure she didn't participate. There was nothing more that Nancy wanted to do than to bring Powers down once and for all so that they could finally go home to be with their family. And to raise their child in safety, away from everything that was dangerous.

Nancy looked down at the bubbles covering her slightly bulging belly and knew she had to protect what was growing no matter what. She would take on this last job and then tell Mason she was done. She hoped that since the man knew her father for so long, he would take the news with a grain of salt. Nancy also was a little worried how her father would react with the news and knew she didn't want Mason, or anyone for that matter, to tell her family about the news without her permission. If Powers wasn't brought down in this last operation, she didn't want the crime boss to find out about the child and use it against Frank.

Closing her eyes, Nancy let the bubbles and water soak into her skin, her thoughts moving from one direction to another. The silence was golden as she slipped below the surface, allowing only her face to remain above the water to breathe. All she could hear was the sound of her own breathing and her heartbeat thrumming in her ears. The cares of the impending mission were lost in the thoughts of her own impending life. A life that will change even more in a matter of months as new life grew within.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Sorry it took so long to get this out. I wanted it to be published yesterday but I was having technical difficulties with the website trying to upload it for editing. I just now figured out how to get around it by copying and pasting it. Anyway, this chapter was somewhat easy to write and I knew exactly what I wanted to express. Lots of emotion going on along with a few changes. As for the end of the chapter, well, that was planned differently months ago when I first started writing this story. I knew I wanted it that way but the timing was different. If you're confused as to when it happened, just think about the time when you _didn't_ know what Frank and Nancy were doing (i.e. the boat, hint hint). Max2013, you hit the nail on the head by guessing it two chapters ago! And here I thought I was being a little clever! Ha! Thank you so much for continuing to read the story and I would truly love to hear what you think of it! Have a great day! Oh, and don't be surprised if I update within the next few days!**


	32. Chapter 31

**Author's Note:**

 **Well, as I told you when I published the last one, this chapter may be published rather early than usual. I had a lot of time on my hands yesterday so I decided to do some writing. If you haven't read Chapter 30, well you might want to do so before you read this one. I'm pretty impressed with how this chapter turned out though I'm wondering how you all feel about it. Let me know in the review section! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-One

Mason watched the video monitors intently. With the operation moved unexpectedly, he immediately flew to London to be near in case anything were to happen. He was still leery about the whole thing with even Frank expressing the same concerns while Nancy was a bit jittery. She seemed like she wanted nothing more than to get the whole thing over with. The video monitors were now showing POV images from Frank and Nancy's vests. The two went in separately, on different ends of the building. Mason made sure there was a van posted outside the intended exit point with backup just in case though he trusted the two to get it done with ease.

Frank was to plant explosives on his way to meeting Nancy on the other end, who was to find the informant and get the person out. What none of them knew was what the informant looked like with the exception that it was a woman. Mason felt it might be better for Nancy to search for the woman as the informant may be more comfortable with her than with Frank. They were all to maintain radio silence unless it was deemed absolutely necessary.

Noticing the lack of security, Mason put a few extra men on notice around the building to be wary. He had a nagging suspicion that something was definitely wrong which heightened when the screens went completely blank.

"What just happened?" Mason cried, leaning over the console.

"I don't know, sir," the technician replied, trying to punch in a few buttons to retrieve the images. Mason watched helplessly as the technicians tried contacting Nancy and Frank only to get static in return. The couple was walking around blind in what was obviously a trap. And there was no way to get a hold of them to stop it.

* * *

Nancy walked stealthily down the empty hall. Her attention was on high alert with the absence of people. It was almost as if the place was evacuated already. But how could that be if no one knew they were coming? Using the intel map given to her, she made her way to the lab where the informant should be. Walking by a large room enclosed in glass, Nancy several people within, only one of them being a woman. As she entered the room, the other technicians took no notice of her dressed in black with her hair pulled up. The female technician, however, watched Nancy out of the corner of her eye and turned toward her as she approached. Getting a good look at the woman, Nancy had a feeling that she knew her from somewhere but couldn't quite place it.

"Can I help you with something?" the woman asked in a tired, lazy voice. She readjusted her glasses as she stared Nancy down.

"I'm just looking for someone," Nancy answered looking around. She didn't notice the other technicians scoot out of the lab behind her, their faces etched in fear.

"Did Mr. Wallace send you?" the woman asked quietly, leaning forward. Although it was a little straightforward, Nancy seemed relieved that she supposedly found the informant. However, she went on high alert again when she noticed something about the woman's hairline. She was wearing a wig!

"I'm sorry," Nancy replied with a small smile. She began backing slowly away, fully becoming aware that the lab was now empty. "I think I may have mistaken."

The woman narrowed her eyes as Nancy walked away. She didn't get far as she walked right into a soft mass standing in the doorway. Looking up at what she walked into, Nancy's eyes went wide when she saw who it was. Thinking quickly, she kneed Nathan hard in the groin doubling him over and scrambled around him while he was down. She ran down the hall, whispering into her comlink for Frank. All she got was static. Nancy knew she shouldn't panic even though she was trapped and had to find a way to Frank and freedom.

She stole a look behind her and found the woman, whom Nancy now recognized as Lt. Mitchell, giving pursuit while Nathan hobbled behind her. Nancy round a corner at the end of the hall and saw the exit at the other end where she came in at. She knew on the other side of the door was the van waiting to get her and Frank out. Looking frantically around, she wondered were Frank was and what was taking him so long. Nancy looked at her watch, noting the time. He was late! She looked behind to face her pursuers only to find an empty hallway. Confused, she turned to walk down the hall toward the exit but stopped as Nathan came around from another hallway in front of her. He held a gun in his hand, his arm extended.

Nancy had no time to cry out as she heard a soft ping of a silencer and felt pain in her chest. Darkness engulfed her before she hit the ground, an image of Frank in her mind.

* * *

Frank was placing the explosives as he went through the building. Like Nancy, he noticed the lack of security around him, his senses heightened as he went. Each room he came across was empty save only furniture. Some of the rooms even looked like someone rushed to get out as papers were strewn on the floor and items knocked over. Frank stuck to the original plan and continued placing explosives, though he pulled out his gun to have just in case. Rounding a corner, he stopped when he noticed a figure leaning against the wall, his familiar eyes looking right at Frank. Leveling his gun, he walked slowly toward the smirking man.

"You know, Frank," William Powers replied, "that's not going to help you in this situation."

"It will if I can end this right now once and for all, you bastard," Frank said through gritted teeth. "I thought only Nathan and Lt. Mitchell did your dirty work."

"Oh, well, I have them off taking care of another matter," Powers gloated. His arms were folded in front of him as leaned against the wall. The way he was standing so calmly put Frank on edge. "I just wanted to talk."

"Then talk."

"There you go again, Frank. So rude," Powers tutted. "As much as I would love to see you dead, I can't seem to bring myself to do it at the moment. Besides, you seem to keep coming back like the Energizer Bunny no matter what I do. So, I thought you and I could have a chat about what we could do together to remedy our situation."

"There is nothing in this world that would make me want to discuss something like that with the likes of you," Frank replied, never taking his gun down.

"I figured as much," Powers sighed, pushing off the wall to face Frank completely. "That's why I brought you here."

Frank's face paled. The man knew they would be there. The whole thing was a trap! He needed to get to Nancy before it was too late though he needed to stop Powers as well.

"I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet, Frank!" mocked Powers. "Didn't you think it was rather odd that your communication with Miss Drew was _dead_? Within minutes of you two entering the building, your comlinks went down along with the video feed to Mason. He's probably shitting bricks by now, frantically wondering what happened. Or is he? Maybe he's the one who let me know of the little informant. You know, the one who gave him the information about this lab. Both of those things have been eradicated, in case you were wondering. After sending one last desperate plea for help to Mason, the young lady was met with an unfortunate accident. You probably passed the poor girl's body and didn't even know it! As for the lab, I evacuated everyone, with all the information I need to continue, yesterday.

"If you knew we were coming, why not just kill me now?"

"Because I wanted to see the look on your face when you realize that I won. Plus I don't think you have the guts to kill me." Powers laughed as he saw Frank's face twitch momentarily, his hand wavering. The lapse in judgment soon melted away as Frank straightened and pulled the trigger, shooting Powers in the arm. The crime boss laughed again, holding his wounded arm and staggering a little. "I knew you didn't have it in you, Hardy!"

"Well, unlike you, I actually have a conscience. Besides, I want to see you go to jail in front of the world," Frank replied, walking over to Powers. He was about to get out a pair of flexicuffs from his back pocket when Powers laughed again. "What's so funny?"

"Tell me, Frank, where's your girlfriend?"

Frank held the gun at Power's chest as the man smiled broadly to his face. His muscles tensed as he shifted.

"What did you do?"

"Me? I've been with you the whole time. But remember when I told you Nathan and Anna were off doing something for me? Just take a wild guess as to what that was."

Frank slammed Powers into the wall, choking the crime boss with his arm.

"You're lying!"

"Why would I? Now, here's your predicament…you have me, ready to go to jail, which I will go willingly if you can get me out the door or…you go find her. You can't do both because you can't call for help. Nathan and Anna are the only ones here besides us and they've been ordered to let you go, so long as you leave me behind. What are you going to do?"

Frank let go of Powers, his chest heaving. He knew he needed to take the man in to end this whole nightmare but at what expense? Sacrificing Nancy and possibly himself? Plus he didn't know what Nathan and Lt. Mitchell did to her. She may need a doctor for all he knew. Frank looked over Powers' shoulder to see Lt. Mitchell coming up behind him, her smirk alone unnerving Frank. She blew him a kiss again as she placed a well manicured hand on Powers' shoulder. Nathan stood in the shadows down the hall, his arms folded and waiting for orders. Not saying a word, Frank gave one last look to Powers as he rushed past the crime boss on his way down the hall. Rounding the corner where Nathan and Lt. Mitchell came from, Frank quickened his pace at the sound of maniacal laughter echoing in the hall.

He knew where he was to meet Nancy and figured she would be near the general area. Frank followed the halls until he came to a long hallway. The exit door where Nancy was to wait for him was at the end but that wasn't what caught Frank's eye. He ran down the hall, keeping his eyes on the body lying on the ground just before the door.

Scrambling to meet where she lay, Frank noticed Nancy's chest was wet with blood and put pressure on it to stop the flow. The blood soaked through her vest and the black shirt she was wearing. He wondered how it could happen as she was wearing the vest for protection. Checking Nancy's pulse, which was slow and sporadic, Frank cradled her in his arms unable to stop the flow of tears coming in droves down his face.

"Please come back to me!" he cried, rocking in place. As he sat there sobbing loudly, Frank ignored everything going on around him including the black clad men and women rushing into the building moments later. He didn't want to let her go though they urged him to move away. Someone was finally able to Frank away from Nancy as another person gently picked her up. Everything seemed to go in slow motion for Frank as he was ushered out of the building and into the waiting van.

His face was blank, watching them take her vest off to assess the damage. The van sped away, an explosion behind them rocking the vehicle though Frank felt nothing. He knew the reason why Powers taunted him. It was a distraction to take him away from the most important person in his life. She shouldn't have been there and he knew it. Frank ignored all attempts to talk to him until Mason appeared, trying to talk to the distant man. Suddenly getting angry, Frank grabbed a hold of Mason around his neck.

"You betrayed us!" Frank screamed as some of the others tried to get him off of Mason. "She's dying because of you!"

Mason tried to speak though only muffled noises exited his mouth. The group around them were finally able to restrain Frank, holding the man away from their boss.

"You know I would never do anything to harm Nancy!" Mason croaked.

"Then how did he know about the informant? About when we would be there?" yelled Frank.

"I don't know!" cried Mason. Behind him, several people were gently loading Nancy onto a stretcher. Frank's eyes watched the whole scene, he anger suddenly dissipating. He shrugged out of the hold the two men had on him and rushed past Mason to walk in with the stretcher. The director slowly followed Frank into the building, not knowing what else to say or do. The biggest concern was whether Nancy would live through the night and what Mason would say when he had to tell his best friend about his only daughter.


	33. Chapter 32

**Author's Note:**

 **This chapter is rather long and filled with a lot of emotion. Thanks to all who gave reviews on the last chapter! I'm so glad to hear that you're liking the story! With that, enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review!**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Two

The plane flew high above the ocean on its way to the United States. The three occupants sat in the cabin with an air of accomplishment. William Powers smugly stared out the window, his arm in a sling from being shot. He got what he wanted: a way to stop Hardy from continuing a relentless crusade against him. Although Powers heard the cries of anguish echoing in the halls, he didn't pursue Hardy in order to kill him. The younger man was already dead inside from the sound of it. Powers just wished he could have been there to see it in his eyes.

A slight pain ripped through Powers' arm but it didn't faze him a bit. Although getting shot was not a part of the plan, the outcome was worth all the pain in the world. Looking out the window and feeling please with himself, Powers settled back to enjoy the rest of the flight. He felt there were better days ahead for him and his cohorts. They just didn't realize they awoke a sleeping giant rather than squashing a pest.

* * *

Frank paced the room, waiting for news of Nancy. The moment they walked into the secret Network base near Heathrow Airport, the doctors rushed her away leaving him to worry. Mason stayed with him though he kept his mouth shut for fear that Frank would lash out at him again. It had been several hours yet no one appeared from the other side of the swinging doors.

Feeling lost, Frank finally stopped pacing only to sit with his head in his hands. He ran his fingers nervously through his hair then realized he still had Nancy's blood on hands. Trembling, Frank stared at them, tears fighting to come. Suddenly, he grabbed the nearest thing, a small vase, and threw it across the room. Mason's head shot up, staring at the young man as he stood up and began tearing the room apart like a crazy man.

"Frank!" Mason cried. He rushed forward, grabbing a hold of Frank's arm to stop him. The younger man glared at Mason though the director didn't flinch. "This is not going to help her. I know you are angry and you have every right to be, but this is not what Nancy would want. When the time comes, take it out on Powers or Nathan or this Mitchell woman. Right now, be here for her and when the doctor comes, we'll deal with whatever he says."

Frank continued to glare at Mason but his gaze soon softened as the words sunk in. He realized Nancy needed him to be sane more than letting his temper get the better of him. She always had a way of calming him down in the worst situations. He plopped back into a chair, defeated. Mason cautiously sat beside Frank, his hand on the younger man's back.

"I can't lose her," Frank spoke softly, never looking up from the floor. "I don't know what I'd do."

"I know," Mason replied. "At least you don't have to tell her father."

Frank snorted with a small laugh, knowing Mason was trying to lighten the mood. He also knew Carson was going to be just as angry, if not more, than Frank was right then.

"Yeah, I'm sure you'll get an earful on that one," he said. They were interrupted by the doors finally swinging open, a doctor pushing through looking a bit haggard. Frank and Mason rose slowly as the doctor approached them.

"Director Wallace, Mr. Hardy, I'm Dr. Benjamin Jones. I was the head surgeon for Miss Drew." He shook each man's hand before continuing. "She sustained two bullets to the upper chest and although she wore a bulletproof vest, the bullets were armor-piercing. One was a through-and-through, just missing her spine while the other did more damage. That one lodged itself in her lung causing blood to fill. The lung itself collapsed and she is currently on a ventilator to help her breath until it heals. We are listing Miss Drew in critical condition and we don't know how long she will be in a coma. The surgery to repair the damage was successful and we were able to save the child as well."

"Wait, stop right there," Frank held his hand up. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm sorry. I thought you knew." The doctor looked from one man to the next, perplexed by their confused expressions. "Miss Drew is almost five months pregnant. I'm surprised she didn't say anything. The only reason we found out is because we performed a few tests as we usually do for unconscious patients. When we found out, we to every precaution. The baby is fine and very healthy."

Frank's world seemed to swirl around him. He sat down to stop the dizziness, his head in his hands again. _Nancy's pregnant?_ he thought.

"Why didn't she say anything?" Frank asked out loud.

"Maybe because you would do what I would have done," Mason replied, looking down at him. "Sidelined her ass and made sure she didn't leave the hotel room to help."

"Why does she have to be so damn stubborn?" Frank asked, raking his hand through his hair.

"Have you met her father?" Mason joked. "And her mother was worse."

"True." Frank turned to the doctor who was watching them with interest. "Can I see her now?"

"Yes, of course. This way," replied Dr. Jones. He guided Frank toward the swinging doors while Mason stayed behind with the intention of letting the younger man be alone with Nancy. The doctor could tell Frank was distraught over the news. He just hoped that he wouldn't do something drastic when he saw her. They came to a door but Dr. Jones stopped before allowing Frank to go in.

"You can stay as long as you need to," he replied softly. "Talk to her, if you want but please, don't destroy the room like you did the other one. She doesn't need that at the moment."

Frank nodded as Dr. Jones pushed open the door and allowed him in. He walked in nervously, the door quietly shutting behind him. His breathing labored at the sounds of machines coming from around the corner. Frank almost didn't move though the need to see Nancy urged him on. As he rounded the corner, the sight of her made his heart drop. The amount of machines keeping her alive was unsettling alone and his anger bubbled to the surface once more.

Pulling up a chair next to Nancy, Frank took her hand in his. She was pale, a breathing tube in her mouth while the whooshing of the machine broke the silence of the room. He looked at her, urging her to open her eyes, to see the beautiful blue eyes he loved so much. Frank noticed the many tubes going into her body wondering which ones were sustaining her life and which one was for the baby. His baby. He sighed, bringing her hand to her lips.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Frank whispered. He remembered how strange she'd been acting. Looking at things and putting them away quickly when he approached; shying away from his touch at times; exploding at him over the smallest things. He never understood any of it until now and now they couldn't even enjoy the moment together. Frank wanted nothing more than to find the one who pulled the trigger and strangle them with his bare hands. It was all he could think of to do as he watched Nancy's life hang in the balance.

Frank turned as he heard a sound behind him. A nurse walked in, a tablet in her hand, and checked on Nancy's vitals. She gave him a sad smile then turned her attention to the door as if someone were standing there.

"Would you like to hear the heartbeat?" she asked softly when she turned her attention back to Frank.

"Can you do that?" he asked, never letting go of Nancy's hand.

"Yes," the nurse smiled. She walked to a nearby counter and picked up a small handheld device with what looked like a microphone attached. When she returned to the bed, she lowered the sheet and blanket and exposed Nancy's stomach. Turning the volume up a bit so it could be heard over the monitors, the nurse placed the "microphone" up against the skin. It took a few moments but soon Frank heard the sound of a heartbeat, rapidly going. "It's good and strong. A fighter just like mom."

The nurse put the machine away after replacing the sheet and blanket. Frank never said a word as the woman gathered the tablet and left but she knew he appreciated it. The tears in his eyes were answer enough. As he heard the door click once more, Frank laid his head on the bed and wept.

"Please come back to me," he whispered. In that moment, Frank wished Nancy was awake so she could hear the sweet sound he just heard.

* * *

Two weeks passed and Nancy was still on the ventilator though her vitals were getting stronger. Frank rarely left her bedside just as she did six months before when he was sick. Christmas was just a day away but all thoughts of the holiday were gone.

"How is she doing?" Mason asked softly. He was standing outside the door when Frank exited to take a break. His anger with the director had dissipated after the first few days when he realized Mason wasn't giving Powers information.

"She has more color in her face though nothing else has really changed," Frank replied, not looking at Mason. "The doctor is hopeful to take her off the machines soon. I guess you could say it's a miracle for her to be alive. Have we heard anything about where Powers is?"

"All we know is that he's back in the US somewhere," Mason sighed. "We're trying to keep him thinking that Nancy is dead. It will be better that way especially once she's able to be moved. The last thing I want is for Powers to find out and come to finish the job."

"Over my dead body," Frank growled, his fists clenched. "He's not getting anywhere near her or our child as long as she's like this. I'm sure that when Nancy wakes, she's going to want to go after whoever did this to her and it will probably include him."

"I'm making plans for her transfer to the States," the director replied. He smiled sadly at the door behind Frank. "The doctor said she can be moved once she's off the ventilator. I assume you're going to want to be there every step of the way."

"You assume right," Frank replied. "Where are we going?"

"Texas. There's a facility outside El Paso that has people who I trust to take care of her. It will be near where I need you to go so you won't have to worry."

"What are you talking about?" Frank cried then lowered his voice to continue. "I'm not leaving her."

"I know that, Frank, but I need your help," Mason pleaded. "The other team has run into a snag with the gun runners. They're capable but they just can't seem to stop them. I need you to help them. Nancy will be in good hands and I have someone who is willing to help stay with her at all times."

"I'll think about it, how about that?" Frank grumbled. "What did Carson have to say when you told him?"

"Yes, that," Mason cleared his throat nervously. Frank's shoulders slumped as he realized what the director was about to say. He shook his head in anger.

"You haven't told him?!" he cried. "Do you have any idea how stupid that is? Why the hell didn't you call him?"

"I was waiting for something good to tell him," Mason stammered a little. "It's Christmas Eve! Why would I destroy his holiday by telling him something like this? Besides he's been blowing up my phone for two days now."

"That is every reason for you to answer him!" Frank grabbed a hold of Mason and slammed him against the wall. A nurse poked her head around the corner but didn't move to stop him. "You should have told him the day it happened! In fact, _I_ should have told him! Give me your damn phone and I'll make the call! Since you've been ignoring him for days, I don't think he's even going to want to hear your voice!"

Mason nodded and pulled out his phone though a bit reluctantly. He searched the phone for Carson's cell number but stopped before handing it to Frank.

"Are you sure you want to do this now?" he asked. "Your family is visiting with him. Are you going to talk to them as well?"

"I'll deal with it later," Frank growled. "He needs to know, now give me the damn phone!"

He snatched the phone away and hit the dial button when he saw Carson's name on the screen.

* * *

Laughter filled the room as Carson, Hannah, Fenton, Laura, Joe, and Vanessa were gathered in the living room at the Drew residence. They were enjoying Christmas Eve, knocking back spiked eggnog and telling stories of Christmases past.

"That was the last time I hid the gifts in plain sight," laughed Laura. "Joe was always so nosy!"

"I was not!" cried Joe defensively. "Frank was always the methodical one! You couldn't surprise him with anything! Besides he unwrapped a gift several days before Christmas one year and rewrapped to make it look like before!"

"If I remember correctly, Joe," Fenton interceded, "that was _you_ who did that! I caught you doing it!"

Everyone burst out in laughter as Joe's face went beet red in embarrassment. He thought his dad wouldn't remember the incident and decided to blame it on Frank since he wasn't there to defend himself. Joe slouched into the couch and folded his arms in front of him. Vanessa wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"We still love you, Joe," she laughed.

Their merriment was interrupted by a cell phone going off. Carson picked up his phone, seeing the unknown number blazing on the screen. Figuring who it was, he answered right away.

"Mason, you better have a damn good reason why you've been ignoring my calls for two days! You're lucky I'm in a good mood!"

"Hello, Mr. Drew," replied a voice Carson didn't expect to hear. His face went pale as he looked at the Hardys one by one. Frank continued. "I know you're there with my family so I'm going to ask that you not let on that it's me."

Carson got out of the chair and left the room quickly, the others watching his movements quizzically. He didn't utter another word until he was in his office, the door closed.

"Why are you calling me, Frank, and not Mason?"

"I called because he didn't have to guts to do it two weeks ago when he should have."

"Why? What happened? Is Nancy alright?" Carson asked quickly. He was a bit nervous about what Frank wanted and even more since Nancy wasn't calling.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Drew," Frank said sadly. He told about the whole assignment, keeping out where they were located. His voice broke more when he got to the end when he found Nancy. "Nancy was shot twice in the chest. I…I wasn't there for her. Powers distracted me long enough for it to happen. I'm so sorry."

Carson's eyes closed at the revelation, a tear escaping down his cheek.

"Is she dead?"

"No, but it's not good, Mr. Drew," Franks' voice cracked as he spoke. "She's…she's in a coma and she can't breathe on her own. The doctor is optimistic but there has been rarely a change in two weeks."

Carson was silent for a few minutes, letting the words sink in. This was the reason why he didn't want Mason to bring Nancy in to something like this. He couldn't even be there for her knowing the danger it posed.

"Mr. Drew?" Frank said quietly, interrupting his thoughts.

"Sorry, Frank," Carson replied with a sigh. "If there's one thing I know about Nancy, it's that she's the most stubborn girl out there. She's not going to let this beat her."

"You have no idea, sir," Frank said. "There's something else as well though I'm sure she's going to kill me when she finds out I told you."

"What's that, son?"

"Umm," Frank cleared his throat, trying to find the right words. Carson could tell the young man was distraught over Nancy but there was something else bothering Frank. "Mr. Drew, Nancy's pregnant."

"Okay," Carson sighed. He was silent again for a few minutes. "I've known you for quite some time and I know how much you've been in love with her. It doesn't take a genius to see it. I can hear it in your voice with the grief you hold. I'm not mad at you or at her. I can't be. You two are adults and though it comes as a shock, I'm really not all that surprised. I expect that you will tell your family when you're ready?"

"Right at the moment, I can't talk to them," Frank said sadly. "As much as I want to, I…I just can't."

"Understandable, but promise me that you will when you feel ready," Carson replied. "I want you to know, Frank, that I am proud of the both of you for what you are doing. As much as I want Nancy to be home, it was her decision in the first place and I can't blame anyone for it except Powers. It's hard for me to say that she has grown up. Any parent would want their child to remain just that but it's hard to see that she has finally moved on. When you return home for good, I would like to hear about your intentions, Frank."

"I will, Mr. Drew."

"With that being said, you need to drop the formalities and call me Carson."

"Yes, sir."

"Now, I want to talk to Mason."

"Of course." Carson could hear a short conversation on the other end, knowing Mason was being a little bit reluctant to take the phone. Soon, he heard the director's voice on the line, Carson's anger suddenly rising above his anguish.

"Two weeks, Mason?" yelled Carson. "You couldn't call me for something like this?!"

"I'm sorry, Carson! I really am!" pleaded Mason. "I wanted to wait until she seemed on the mend before telling you!"

"No, you just didn't want to hear my wrath, you spineless worm!" Carson cried. "What if she died and I wasn't there? When would you have told me that?"

"Carson, I…"

"Enough, Mason!" Carson interrupted. "I want to you make damn sure she lives. Do everything in your power to make it happen. I know you can. I'm assuming you're keeping her status on the low side?"

"Yes, Carson. As far as anything goes, besides family, she's dead to the world. Powers believes she is and we intend to keep that way as long as we can."

"Good. That's what I want to hear. You had better pray to god that Nancy comes out of this okay or I swear I will make your life a living hell! If you ever keep something like this from me or _anyone_ again, there will be no place on this earth that you would be able to hide that you won't feel my wrath! I understand that I cannot be there for her due to the secrecy of where you are but I expect weekly updates on her status!"

"Of course, Carson." The director wanted to make sure he kept up with Carson from now on. He knew his old friend would keep his promise and he didn't want to find out what Carson had in mind.

"I want to speak with Frank again."

"What is it, sir?" Frank came on seconds later.

"I want you to do me a favor."

"Anything."

"Catch the son-of-a-bitch who did this to my daughter."

"I promise, Carson."


	34. Chapter 33

**Author's Note:**

 **Well, another update is here! I hope all is going well for everyone! I did want to mention a few things though. I am not in the medical field so everything you read in this story is either pure speculation or a guess on my part. I do a lot of Googling though when I research certain things so there are a few truths that come out of this story. Same thing goes for traveling. Honestly, I have never been outside the continental United States (besides Canada as a kid) although I would love to travel one day. The technical terms and theories are pure imagination. You put a computer in front of me and, besides typing and figuring out how to use certain programs, I couldn't tell you all the technical stuff that Frank or Kyla would be able to give you. In fact, I get bored with technical things, as my husband would attest too when I roll my eyes at him about building on Minecraft. Look for a few familiar faces returning as you read this chapter! On with the story and don't forget to review!**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Three

 _I wonder who was on the phone_ Joe thought as he waited with his family. They all watched Carson get up and rush to his office, closing the door behind him. Joe was tempted to get up and eavesdrop at the door since they could barely hear anything. That is, until they heard Carson yelling through the door. Even Hannah was a little perplexed as to what was going on. It wasn't until Joe heard Carson yell the name Mason that anyone knew who was on the phone. Moments later, the office got quiet and Carson exited, his face washed with grief though he tried his best to stifle it.

No one spoke. They just waited for Carson to say something. He was breathing heavily, trying to calm himself down. Walking back to the seat he vacated, Carson flopped down into the chair, his hands shaking slightly. It was Hannah who broke the silence when she knelt down next to her long-time friend and employer.

"What is it, Carson?" she asked softly. He finally looked at her, his eyes watery. Clearing his throat, Carson leaned forward and took her hand gently.

"That wasn't Mason," Carson said, his voice cracking a little. "It was him later when I yelled but it wasn't him who made the call."

"If it wasn't Mason, then who called?" Hannah asked. Carson looked up at Fenton and Laura sitting on the couch.

"It was Frank," Carson said, never taking his eyes off of Fenton. Laura held her breath waiting. "He's fine and says that he does miss you all. He just didn't have the heart to call you at the moment."

"Why not?" Laura cried, tears forming in her eyes. "It's Christmas Eve! Why didn't he want to speak with us?"

"It's not a matter of not wanting to talk to you, Laura," Carson said calmly. "It's more like…grief. You will understand when I tell you the reason behind the phone call. Mason wasn't going to call to tell me either. He didn't have the guts."

"What happened?" Fenton said, comforting his wife.

"The mission was two weeks ago," Carson began with a sigh. He explained everything including the reason it was moved up. "Frank told me everything that happened. It was hard for him to say anything…"

"Something happened to Nancy, didn't it?" Joe asked softly. Carson looked over at the younger Hardy, his eyes welling as his strength began to waver. He nodded curtly before looking back at Hannah who gasped, her hand over her mouth. Joe's heart plummeted a bit. He knew how much Frank loved Nancy and that if something happened to her, he would shut down like he did before.

"Powers knew they were coming and killed the informant before they got there," Carson said slowly, his voice cracking again. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath before continuing. "Nancy took two bullets to the chest though Frank has no idea who pulled the trigger. He said she's in a coma and the doctor's is unsure as to when she'll wake up." Carson paused, his anger slowly rising. "I was hoping that this assignment would be the end of the nightmare but it seems to go on without an end in sight! I want her home! I knew the dangers of their assignments but I didn't expect this! Mason wasn't even going to tell me and he _admitted_ it! She could be dying for all I know and _I can't be there for her!_ This is not what Mason told us!"

The room got silent once Carson was done ranting. He rose quickly from the chair and left the room. They soon heard the back door slam and the sound of a car coming to life in the driveway. Hannah put her head in her hands, sobbing as she still knelt on the floor. Laura went over to her, putting her arm around the older woman's shoulders. Joe leaned forward, elbows on his knees. He was just as upset with Mason as Carson was. Nancy was as close to a sister Joe would ever get and to hear that she was hurt badly was tough to bear. He felt Vanessa rub his back gently, giving him comfort that she was there for him. Joe just wished he could be there for his brother.

* * *

The moment Frank got off the phone with Carson, he looked over at Mason standing next to him. He knew what he had to do and his family would have to wait until he was ready.

"When do you want me to go?" he asked.

"Are you sure?" the director replied, surprised that Frank made the decision so quickly.

"I just made a promise that I intend to keep," Frank said. "As much as I want to be near Nancy, she would be furious with me if I didn't pursue Powers when I got the chance. She would be even madder at me if I did nothing."

"Okay," Mason sighed. "The person who I have in mind to stay with Nancy can be here by tomorrow, then we can leave."

"Who is this person?"

"I've already talked to her like I told you before. She'll travel with Nancy once she's clear to be sent back to the States. That way someone she knows will be with her when she wakes."

"She?"

"Yes," Mason smiled. "I believe you know her too. Dr. Amelia Foster."

* * *

Amelia sat next to Nancy's bed, reading a book. She was called by Mason right after the Nancy's surgery and she wanted to help in any way she could. Being with Nancy and Frank for eight months gave her the opportunity to get to know them well. She missed being a part of the team but when they arrived in New York, everything changed. Amelia hadn't seen either one of them in months when Mason assigned her to the base in El Paso, Texas with James, Drew, and Kyla.

Mason filled her in on what happened in London and Amelia was devastated to hear the news. When he called again, she agreed to come stay with Nancy, understanding that the young woman needed to see someone familiar when she woke…if she woke. Frank wanted to leave for Texas soon after a phone call he had with Nancy's father, anxious to get back at Powers for what happened. Amelia couldn't blame him. Seeing the love of your life lie helplessly on a bed would bring anyone down. She saw it when Nancy sat by Frank for three weeks. Unlike her though, he has the opportunity to release his frustrations by going after the gun runners with Drew and James.

Amelia had been there for two weeks already, the New Year already started and there was little change in Nancy. She hoped the young woman woke soon especially with the knowledge that a baby was on the way. Amelia had her suspicions as to when that happened but never mentioned it to Frank before he left. It was really none of her business.

What happened a few days later though, scared the crap out of Amelia when alarms began sounding from the machines nearby. The nurses rushed in, ordering Amelia out. When the doctor came out, in what seemed like hours to Amelia, he had a smile on his face for the first time. Nancy was finally breathing on her own and her heart rate spiked when her body fought the ventilator.

When Amelia was finally allowed to return to the room, she watched the young woman finally taking breaths without a machine. Eyes welling with tears, Amelia prayed that Nancy would wake but she kept sleeping. Mason asked the older woman to contact him with any change and the director was ecstatic to hear the news. The doctor also said the baby was thriving and actually helping Nancy stay strong. Mason then ordered the doctor to prepare her for transport to the States the moment she could be moved. Amelia was just now biding her time as she waited for the plane to be ready.

* * *

As Frank walked into the facility in El Paso a day after he left Nancy, he was bombarded by three people he never thought he'd see again. James, Drew, and Kyla greeted him at the door, wanting to hear the status on Nancy. He soon realized that they were the other team Mason had mentioned.

"How are you guys working for Mason?" Frank asked once the pleasantries were over and he answered their questions.

"Well, he offered to clear my name if I helped," James piped in. "I'm a free man once this is all said and done but he offered for me to have a permanent position if I was interested. I'm still thinking on that but I am looking forward to being able to move about more freely without worrying about the cops on my back. I think I may have Carson to thank for all of it."

"What about you, Drew?"

"Oh, I was just missing the fun of being an operative," Drew grinned. "I may be getting older but I can still keep up. Besides, the CIA was too uptight and Mason offered me the job."

"You already know about me, Frank," Kyla replied. "I'm sorry that I had to keep everything from you. When I first met you, I didn't think I needed to tell you…"

"Kyla, it's okay," Frank reassured her with a small smile. "I understand everything as Mason explained it. I probably wouldn't have cared if I did know anyway. Now, what's the issue with these gun runners?"

"They keep moving their operations up and down the border," Kyla explained. "I've been trying to figure out where they'll be next but by the time I do, they've already gotten over the border either into the US or out. Sometimes they're here in Texas while other times they pop up in Arizona or New Mexico. It's very frustrating."

"Yeah, after all the warehouses we took down," James replied, "we thought this would be a piece of cake. We soon found out though that it's not just guns. Human trafficking has been in demand too but the past few months, demand has been down. I guess we have you and Nancy to thank for that?"

"I guess you do," Frank said quietly. He looked to Kyla once again. "Have you been able to get into any of their systems to see what their schedules were or deliveries?"

"No, the firewalls are powerful," Kyla said sadly. "More powerful than one person can take on by themselves. Mason couldn't spare another body to help either until you arrived. I don't know how they are able to do it. Every time I break through, a virus uploads. It takes me days just to get the computers back up and running."

"Hmmm," Frank thought a few minutes. "What about the two of us attacking the systems at the same time? Maybe if I hack in too, one of us will be able to get through and get the information we need. It may overrun the system since it might not be able to attack two hackers at the same time."

"That may just work!" cried Kyla excitedly. "My computers are this way!"

She rushed down the hall as quickly as she could, Frank, Drew, and James following close behind. As Kyla reached the end of a hall, she opened a door with a key fob and switched on the lights revealing a small windowless room. Four computers were set up in a corner with another empty desk across from it. Frank took his laptop and quickly got in, following Kyla's directions as to where to go. Once ready, Frank settled in for a long night.

"You guys may be waiting a while," he replied to Drew and James. "You're more than welcome to stick around but you may get bored."

"Yeah, I think you're right," Drew stated. "There are bowl games going on anyway. Even though we've been back in the States for months, I've barely had time for football and beer. You game, James?"

"Absolutely."

"We'll let you know when we've succeeded," Frank replied, never looking back at them. The two men quickly left the room in search of a TV, leaving Kyla and Frank to do what may prove to be impossible.


	35. Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

It wasn't until after the New Year began that several good things finally fell into place. Mason showed up one morning unexpectedly, a smile rippled across his weary face. Although Frank and Kyla were a bit annoyed for the interruption, they soon found out the reason for Mason's visit. He wanted to tell Frank personally that Nancy would be arriving the following week after finally being taken off the ventilator. Frank was ecstatic at the news but still remained concerned that she hadn't woken up yet. Mason explained that it could be a matter of days before she did and possibly by the time she arrived with Amelia.

Once Mason left, Frank had a new found giddiness at the prospect of seeing Nancy again. He felt optimistic and worked feverishly to find a way into the gun runners' system. Kyla was right about the firewalls as the two were constantly bombarded with viruses. Finally, late one evening, Frank cried out in triumph.

"Yes!"

Kyla looked up from her computer where another virus had blasted the hard drive. She saw his computer screen, noticing the difference from before. There was no virus attacking it this time and she could see files that she didn't recognize. Frank had finally gotten through after several weeks of trying and now they could really do some damage to the gun runners.

* * *

Mason stood at the foot of the bed, watching Nancy sleep. Amelia had left the room to freshen up from the long flight while the director watched over the young woman. He knew frank would be relieved to see how much better Nancy looked but Mason had sent him along with James and Drew to Mexico to go after the gun runners and their headquarters. With the new information they uncovered recently, Mason was sure the trio would be able to crush the last remnants of Powers' gun running group. The quicker they did it, the quicker Frank could return to be with Nancy.

"I can take over," Amelia stated with a smile. She had walked in while Mason was thinking about the dangerous mission he sent Frank on.

"You good then?"

"Absolutely," Amelia smiled again. "I'll stay with her until Frank returns. When do you think he'll be back?"

"They left four days ago," Mason answered. "I haven't heard from them yet but they said they would have radio silence until they were done. I'm counting on them returning quickly though. He knows she's here and really wants to be with her."

"Understandable," Amelia sighed. "You get going. I can take care of this. I know how busy you are."

"I'll check in on you later," Mason replied. "Plus I'll keep you posted as to when Frank will be back."

"Thanks."

With that, the director walked out of the room leaving Amelia to the peacefulness of the room. She sat down next to Nancy's bed and pulled out a book to read. Knowing it could be any day that the young woman woke, Amelia didn't want to take any chances of her waking up alone.

* * *

"Are we good?" Frank asked Drew as they walked down the hall of the gun runners' headquarters. It was almost the end of January and they just finished taking out the men guarding the guns they wanted to sell in the States.

"Yeah, I think so," Drew answered though his gun was still in his hand at ready. He didn't want to put his guard down in case there were any men hiding in the spare rooms. James came jogging up to them from down the hall.

"We're clear!" he said happily. "Mason is sending in another team in to take the men here into custody."

"Yes, but we still haven't found Powers," Frank growled. He wanted this over and done with but the crime boss seemed to never be where they were at.

"I know, man," Drew said, clapping his hand on Frank's back. "But this is one more nail in Powers' coffin. One of these days, we're going to catch up to the bastard. This is just one of the many hurdles we have to go through to get to him."

"I just wish I knew where he was!" Frank yelled, frustrated. He punched the wall next to him as he walked away from Drew and James. The two men looked at each other knowingly. They knew Frank was upset over Nancy but the younger man fought relentlessly in order to find Powers and whoever pulled the trigger on her. Frank needed a break and to get back to Nancy before he went nuts.

"Hey, Frank," James called, catching up to him. "How 'bout you go on ahead and we'll meet you in El Paso? That way you can see her and take a break."

"You sure?"

"We got this," Drew shrugged, coming up behind them. "You go. You need it more than we do. We can catch a ride back with the extraction team anyway."

With just a small smile, Frank waved as he went to the helicopter and ordered the pilot back to the states. The flight would only take thirty minutes since they were just inside the border of Mexico, with permission of the Mexican government. Seconds after landing, Frank was greeted by Mason who eagerly wanted to be apprised of the situation with the gun runners.

"They've been neutralized, sir," he answered as they walked into the main building of the compound. "We shouldn't have any more problems with them in the future. Powers' gun operation should be obsolete by the time the warehouse is emptied."

"Wonderful!" cried the director, shaking Frank's hand. "Now, we just need to get rid of the human traffickers and Powers operations will be gone down here. There's not much left of his empire."

"Can that wait, Mason?" Frank said, switching to a less formal tone. "I want to be here and not far away from Nancy any more than I have to be. Besides, with the baby coming in a few months, I don't want to miss out."

"I understand, Frank," Mason replied with sympathy, "but we had a deal. With Nancy unable to fight anymore, I only have you, Drew, and James to deal with the problem. Once Powers is gone, you can have all the time in the world. You have a few days now before I need you back in Mexico so take every moment you need. But once I call on you, be ready to move."

"Fine," Frank grumbled. He didn't understand why Mason continued to hold their deal over his head. "But you better keep your end of the bargain on this. I don't want to have anything to do with you or the Network and you all need to stay away from Nancy."

Leaving the director behind, Frank stormed away toward the infirmary. His anger pulsed through his body at the thought of having to leave Nancy yet again for another trip to Mexico. He just hoped this would be the last time before being able to go home for good.

Once he arrived at the infirmary, Frank asked one of the nurses where Nancy's room was and soon found himself outside the door, nervous to go in. Slowly opening the door, he walked in to find Amelia sleeping in the chair next to the bed, a book perched on her chest as it rose slowly to her breathing. Frank was relieved to see less machines around Nancy as she slept. She looked like an angel with her reddish-blond hair flowing down, framing her sweetheart face. Her chest went up and down as she breathed freely without help and her belly was now swollen more, showing off the fact she was indeed pregnant. He placed a hand on Amelia shoulders, arousing the older woman from her slumber.

"Frank!" she whispered once she saw him smiling at her. "When did you get back?"

"Just now," he whispered back. "How is she doing?"

"She's doing great," Amelia smiled, rising from her chair. "The doctor says he believes any day now she'll open her eyes. She's been improving since we left London and the baby is healthy too. I'll leave you alone with her. I need a break any way."

"Thanks, Amelia," Frank said softly, touching the woman's arm tenderly. "For everything."

"My pleasure, Frank," Amelia smiled as she left the room, closing the door behind her.

Frank walked over to the bed and took Nancy's hand in his own, bringing it to his lips in a gentle kiss. The heart monitor spiked a little at the touch and he knew she knew he was there with her.

"Wish you were here, Nan," he said quietly. Sitting down on the chair Amelia just vacated, Frank watched for a few moments as Nancy slept on. She was so beautiful yet he wanted nothing more than for her to talk to him. He touched her hair, noticing how clean it was thinking that maybe Amelia washed it somehow. Placing his hand on her belly, Frank smiled at the thought of another life growing in her. He felt a soft bump underneath his hand and his grin grew larger. Yawning, Frank laid his head down beside her and closed his eyes. Within minutes, he was asleep, the weeks of insomnia and worry finally catching up to him.

* * *

Nancy hovered just below consciousness. She felt the stiffness of her body but felt something else there. A jolt or more like a kick from within. She couldn't quite place it as her eyes roamed beneath the lids. There was something else too: this time the warmth of someone's hand. A voice all too familiar to her yet sounding so far away. Nancy knew his voice as she knew her own father's, the voice begging for her to return to him.

 _What happened?_ she thought, struggling to come forward to answer the voice. A memory returned to her. That of a man with a gun who shot her before Frank could get there. Frank! That was who called to her through the haze. _But why does it feel like someone is kicking me in the stomach?_ Nancy asked herself. Slowly, she moved her hand instinctively to her belly, the feeling the bump. Then she remembered the baby. She was pregnant and obviously, the baby survived after she was shot.

Nancy slowly opened her eyes, the room around her blurry as she tried to focus. Once everything around her became clear, she heard the tell-tale sound of a heartbeat monitor nearby. Nancy looked down to see a head lying on the bed next to her. It was the one person she wanted to see most, his fingers still wrapped around her hand.

Frank's eyes were closed, a soft snore releasing. Nancy smiled softly and began running her fingers through his hair gently so as not to awaken him. She didn't know how long it had been since the shooting but she didn't care. He was there and that was all that mattered to her.

* * *

 _I don't want to get up, Mom!_ Frank thought. His neck was cramping but that's not what was pulling him back from his peaceful slumber. He thought maybe it was his mother trying to wake him up, running her fingers through his hair. _No, Mom is in New York and I'm in Texas._ Slowly opening his eyes, Frank saw someone smiling down at him, her blue eyes sparkling with humor and love.

"Nancy?" he asked, too shocked to say much more. Nancy grinned, tears welling in her eyes. Frank lifted his head, his neck cracking as he moved. Suddenly, he leaned and kissed her before she could close her eyes again. He didn't want it to happen for fear it was a dream though she felt real. Leaning his forehead against hers, Frank sighed in relief, thanking God that this beautiful woman came back to him. "You scared me, Nan," he whispered. "You left me."

"I would never leave you, Frank," she croaked, her voice not quite there yet after months of non-use. She looked into his brown eyes.

He sat back down in the chair, never letting go of her hand. She smiled again and his heart melted with happiness.

"I'm sorry," Nancy replied, her expression changing.

"For what?"

"For not telling you." She rubbed her belly tenderly, giving him the reason for her apology. "I…I should have told you the moment I found out but I didn't. I was afraid you wouldn't let me help in the mission."

"Oh, Nancy, no," he said, shaking his head. Frank kissed her hand and looked back at her. "Yes, I would have tried to stop you from going but knowing you, you would have gone anyway. I'm just so happy you're alive and so is our child. When did you find out anyway?"

"Two days before we left for London," Nancy said, biting her lip. "I never knew or had any inclination before then. I was going to tell you after the assignment but if it wasn't for Nathan…"

"Was he the one?" Frank stopped her, his face darkening. "All this time, I thought Mitchell did it."

"No, she was there though," Nancy recalled. "She wore a wig in the lab. Oh, god! What happened to the informant?"

"She's dead," Frank said sadly. "Killed by Powers. He told me himself when he was distracting me. If I wasn't so hell bent on turning him in, you wouldn't have been hurt! I should have been there for you!"

"Now who's having the pity party?" Nancy laughed. Her smile was infectious as Frank found himself smiling and laughing with her.

"I'm so relieved you're back," he said. Frank ran his fingers down her cheek, Nancy leaning into his touch. He looked into her eyes and knew he couldn't wait until everything was all over so they would be together without fear.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Wonderful ending to the chapter, huh? I wasn't sure about this one though. The beginning was harder to write than the end but in all honesty, it turned out better than I thought it would! I'd love to hear what you think so don't forget to review! Until next time!**


	36. Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five

Nathan walked behind Powers along with Anna. He had never seen his boss so angry before as they headed for his office. He knew Powers was going to be even more mad when he heard of the news about the gun runners being arrested in Mexico.

"How much money do we need to restart the production of the drug?" Powers asked turning to Nathan and interrupting his thoughts.

"Garrison said roughly twenty million, Mr. Powers," Nathan answered, cringing slightly as Powers' face became red. "That's for personnel, location, and products plus extra security."

"Fine! Make it happen!" Powers cried, opening the door to his makeshift office. "I have already lost tons of money while the damn thing hasn't been on the streets!"

"Sir, I have other news," Nathan replied cautiously. Powers turned toward him as the man relayed the details of the assault and apprehension of the gun runners the week before.

"How much of a loss?"

"Total, Mr. Powers," Nathan said. Anna remained quiet unsure of what to contribute to the conversation. "Every man was arrested and all the guns confiscated. Any money found was taken as well."

"Damn it all to hell!" cried Powers. The gun runners were the last bits of income for his organization although there was something else coming in worth more. "What of my girls?"

"They're fine, sir. We have ramped up security to ensure the brothel is safe." Nathan hesitated before continuing. "There's something else, Mr. Powers."

"Well? What is it?" the crime boss cried, impatient that his second in command didn't elaborate quickly enough.

"Security footage from the gun runners' headquarters caught the faces of those who took on the assault." Nathan walked over to the mounted TV and put a disk into the player. Powers' face grew redder when Nathan stopped on a familiar face. The crime boss screamed in rage and threw a paperweight at the wall, shattering it. Anna huddled against the opposite wall, keeping herself as small as possible.

"Why. Is. He. Back?" Powers heaved on every word. "I thought we took care of the problem when you killed the girl!"

"I don't know, sir. He showed up with two other men and they were able to take everyone down within minutes! What are your orders to deal with this?"

"As of now, nothing," Powers said angrily. "There's only one base he could be at that's so close to Mexico. It was under construction when I left the Network but I know where it is. I think it's time to bring in Jonas."

"Are you sure, Mr. Powers? Mason Wallace knows who he is plus who else may…"

"I know that, you twit!" cried Powers. "It's just one man and Jonas is a Jack-of-all-trades. He knows how to blend in and avoid detection."

"But, sir…"

"Enough, Nathan! I have made my decision. Get a hold of Jonas, wherever he is and send him to El Paso. Have him contact me directly if he finds that little shit. I want Hardy gone once and for all!"

"Yes, Mr. Powers."

* * *

"This is so nice!" cried Laura Hardy as she stretched out in her beach chair. She looked over at her husband next to her and smiled. "We so needed this!"

"I know! It's too bad Carson and Hannah couldn't make it though," Fenton replied. He looked over at Joe and Vanessa running around in the surf. Marking the year it had been since Frank and Nancy left, the Hardys felt it was necessary to get away and flew to Florida for a vacation on the Gulf of Mexico. Carson had a major trial starting and Hannah's sister was sick so the two were unable to meet them for the trip. Neither family had heard from anyone since Christmas though Mason supposedly kept Carson up to date sporadically on Nancy. Frank never called the Hardys and they were becoming more apprehensive about him lately.

"Hey, Mom! Dad!" said Joe, running up to his parents with Vanessa in tow. "We're going to go rent some jet skis. We'll see you later!"

"Okay!" cried Laura as the couple ran off together. Although her son was an adult, her motherly instincts kicked in as she yelled again, "Be careful!"

Fenton and Laura watched as the two headed toward the ski rental at the end of the pier. Laura was so happy for Joe. Vanessa was a wonderful girl and they made a cute couple. She just hoped everything was fine with Frank.

"Penny for your thoughts, my dear?" Fenton replied, bringing Laura back to reality.

"What? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Well, about Joe and Vanessa and how well they go together." Laura stared out at the Gulf, the waves crashing into the beach. She bit her lip as she thought of other things. This vacation was nothing without her older son as well. "I…I just miss Frank so much. It's been a year since we've really seen him and there's been no word. I mean, at least Carson has been getting updates on Nancy and mercifully relaying the messages to us. I'm just as worried about her as I am about Frank. I know this is our vacation but I can't stop thinking about them."

"Me too, Laura," Fenton scooted his chair closer to her and wrapped his arm around her body. "I trust that Frank is fine or we would have heard otherwise by now."

"Would we?" She looked at him skeptically. "Mason really isn't forthcoming with the information lately. The man doesn't bother calling us and I'm even starting to think that Joe is getting to be edgy about it."

"I think that has nothing to do with Frank," Fenton laughed a knowing smirk.

"Huh?"

"I'm surprised at you!" Fenton laughed again. "You can usually sniff out what others are doing even before they do! That especially goes for both our sons. I know you have a feeling about Frank and Nancy. Even a blind man could that. But Joe?"

"What about him?"

"Laura, he's been carrying it around for weeks and you haven't noticed?"

"Oh…oh!" Laura cried as it finally hit her. "How did you notice it and not me?"

"I found it one day, right after he bought it," Fenton smiled. "That and he told me about his intentions."

"Oh, you!" Laura slapped her husband playfully on the arm. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"He asked me not to," Fenton shrugged. "He knew you'd get all googly-eyed with him and he didn't want the added pressure. He mainly asked his old man what would be the best way to propose. I told him however he felt the best way was. It felt good to still be needed at least one of our sons."

"I'm sure when Frank comes back, he'll come to you for something," Laura smirked. "Who knows? Maybe I'll get bombarded with questions from Nancy. Vanessa already does."

"Why do you think Nancy would ask you anything?"

"Don't be mean!" Laura pouted. "I just think we'll be seeing a lot more of her whenever they come back. Besides, I don't think Carson was telling us the whole truth when Frank called in December."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, he stormed out, which I understand, but when he returned he seemed calmer, almost jovial about something. Plus I could have sworn I overheard him talking to Hannah about finding Nancy's old baby stuff."

"You picked up on that but not on Joe's impending proposal to Vanessa? Now I see who you favor between the two!"

"I do not favor Frank! I was just curious, that's all."

"Keep telling yourself that, woman!" Fenton laughed pulling out his book.

"I will," Laura pouted again, pulling her hat lower on her head. "And don't call me woman!"

"Whatever, love," grinned Fenton, shaking his head. The two sat in silence, enjoying the sun and beach until it was well into the afternoon and Joe and Vanessa returned. Laura did her best not to get doe-eyed with her youngest but she was positively giddy when they walked into their hotel suite. The young couple decided to stay on the beach for a little while longer before dinner.

"See, this is why Joe doesn't talk to you anymore," Fenton laughed after Laura wondered aloud when Joe was going to propose. As they were changing their clothes, Fenton's phone rang. Laura was closest to it and answered the phone quickly seeing the unknown caller ID.

"Hello?" she said breathlessly.

"Hey, Mom," replied the voice she'd been longing to hear for months. Instead of being happy to hear him though, Laura began yelling at him.

"Franklin Hardy! You had better have a good explanation for not calling your mother after so long! I have been worried sick wondering if you were dead or hurt somewhere! Why didn't you call on Christmas? Or at least soon after? Never mind! If you were here, I'd give you more than a piece of my mind, young man!"

"Okay, Laura," Fenton said calmly, plucking his phone away from her. She was stilling yelling at Frank before she realized the phone was gone. "I think he's heard enough and learned his lesson. Go get Joe and Vanessa." He walked into the suite's living room and waited until she was out the door before he got back onto the phone. "Although I know you deserved that just a little bit, I'm sorry she answered the phone. She's been on edge about you lately."

"It's me who should be apologizing, Dad," Frank stated. "I should have called but things got quite busy after Christmas. I did mean to call though."

"Understandable. It's good to hear your voice, son. Carson has been keeping us updated on Nancy though nothing about you. How is she doing?"

"She's good. She woke up several days ago and the doctor says she can leave soon," Frank explained. "She called her dad a few hours ago and when he found out I hadn't called you, he reprimanded me over the phone. Then Nancy hit me on the back of the head for the same reason. Now I know where she gets it from."

"Well, it sounds like you got what you needed to be motivated," Fenton laughed. He was really starting to like Nancy for putting his son in his place. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing good, Dad," Frank sighed. "Though I need some advice on something."

"Shoot."

"Well, I…I was wondering how you kept us safe all those years of being a private investigator and constantly being in danger?"

Fenton got quiet, not knowing to say. He was happy to hear that his older son needed advice but there was only one reason as to why it was this particular question that came up. Checking the door to make sure Laura hadn't returned with Joe and Vanessa, Fenton gulped and sighed loudly.

"Dad…"

"Lots of security at home," Fenton finally said, interrupting his son. "I also had lots of support from friends and family who were willing to protect you, Joe, and your mother. If there is a reason that you are asking this, then you do whatever is in your power to protect them. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Frank said, his voice cracking a little. "I'm sorry about…"

"Don't," Fenton said interrupting him again. "There's nothing in this world that would make me happier than to know that my sons are happy and safe. As long as you are, I don't care what comes attached to that happiness. I have supported Joe in everything he has done even if it was outlandish and brash and I will support you just as much. I am surprised though. I expected it from him, not you. I'm assuming you have already told Carson."

"Yes, back in December." Frank replied. "I'm still not sure if he's happy for us or not though."

"Knowing Carson, you will have to jump through hoops for weeks when you return home," Fenton laughed. "It does explain some of his behavior lately. Your mother picked up on it even though she didn't realize Joe was getting ready to propose to Vanessa."

"Really? Joe is taking the plunge?" Frank laughed. "This I would like to see!"

"So would I!" Fenton laughed as well. Switching back to Frank, he continued. "Do you love her?"

"More than life itself, Dad," Frank stated in a serious tone. "I would do anything to protect her."

"Son, like I told you before, you do everything you need to do in order to keep her and your child safe. That is what is most important when it comes to being a father." Fenton stopped as he heard the door close behind him. He turned to see Laura, Joe, and Vanessa standing just inside the door to their suite. Tears were flowing down Laura's face as a look of shock registered on Joe. Fenton knew they heard the last portion of their conversation but before he could say anything more, Frank's voice came back over the phone.

"Dad, I have to go," he said. "I wasn't supposed to be on for long and Mason is foaming at the mouth right now."

"Screw that son-of-a-bitch!" Fenton cried. Frank laughed. "You're having a conversation with your old man!"

"Thanks, Dad. For everything. Tell Mom I'm sorry and give them all my love." As Fenton said goodbye he heard a click as the call ended and then silence. Putting the phone down, he sighed knowing he had to explain everything to his waiting family as to what was said. As he rose from the couch, he wondered when the next time he'd be able to talk to his oldest and if it would be in person rather than over the phone.

* * *

Powers looked at his phone once more in disgust. He was furious at what Jonas sent him. Several weeks had passed before the man was able to get into the compound in El Paso. Nathan had a hard time finding the elusive man plus convincing him to go. Once he was in, Jonas posed as a janitor, being hired on after using false identification. He was never able to find his target though he heard that the man had left days before on a mission to Mexico. Jonas sent the information to his boss along with what Powers was currently looking at.

Waiting for Nathan and Anna to arrive in his office, Powers looked at his phone again, fuming that someone had lied to him. Seconds later, there was a knock at the door and his second and third in command came through, stopping just before the desk.

"Remind me again, which one of you pulled the trigger?" Powers asked, not looking up from his phone.

"Umm, I did, Mr. Powers," Nathan said nervously. He wondered why his boss was bringing it up again.

"Was she dead when you left her?"

"I…I didn't check but I thought she was."

"Then explain to me why Jonas sent me a picture of her from the base in El Paso!" Powers cried, his voice getting louder with each word. He turned his phone toward them to reveal a smiling Nancy speaking with Mason.

"I…"

"Silence! You know how I feel about failure!" Nathan cringed just a little. "However, I am willing to overlook it considering your loyalty. I am personally taking care of this issue with the help of Jonas."

"But, Mr. Powers!" cried Anna. "Let me do it!"

"I know your history with this young woman and I would pay to see the two of you go at it, but I want to make sure it's done this time. Hardy needs to know not to mess with me and that no one is safe no matter where they're at or how much security is around them. I have ordered Jonas to keep tabs on her until I get there. He has found a way in and out that would be completely undetectable until it was too late. If anything happens to me though, you know what to do, Nathan."

"Yes, sir," Nathan nodded. "Are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely. And this time, there won't be a 'miraculous' recovery."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Well, another update is finally here! Sorry it took so long! A little bit of writer's block plus loads of things going on in life kind of put this on the back burner. I know you're probably wondering why I didn't put the conversation between Nancy and her father in this chapter. I felt it was more important to show the Hardys than anything plus bring in a little bit of Powers to top it off. I know it seems to be flying but I assure you there's a reason. This story is almost done and I'm already thinking about a completely different story just in time for Halloween! I'm trying not to rush this one but I'm winding down with it. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to review! Reviews are like candy to me! I love them! Have a great weekend!**


	37. Chapter 36

**Author's Note:**

 **Yay! An update from me! And it only took me over a week or so. Anniversary, my daughter's birthday party, getting her ready for kindergarten, switching jobs, cleaning house, and starting to nest...phew! August is a busy month for us! Anyway, enough of me making excuses, I do have a warning for this chapter. There's a little bit of adult content towards the end. Nothing bad, just a insinuations and a little bit of violence. That's all. Just to give you heads up. Oh, and the fact that this one is REALLY long! Anyway, enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review! You know how much I love them!**

Chapter Thirty-Six

Carson smiled as he sat at the kitchen table eating a snack. It had been a few days since he spoke with Nancy again. She had been calling him every few weeks just to see how he was doing but it was the first time she called that he was smiling about. His smile grew bigger as he reminisced that day.

 _He was sitting at his desk in his office, looking over a file for a large trial he was handling. Carson was a little mad at himself for taking the case since it made him miss a much needed vacation with the Hardys in Florida. Rubbing his eyes, he looked at the photograph sitting on his desk. It was older than the one sitting on his desk at home but it still brought a tear to his eye. The picture was of Nancy at her college graduation. He was so proud of her for getting her degree in journalism. Carson thought maybe the long nights of staying up, waiting for her were over but that soon changed when she became an investigative reporter._

 _Carson sighed, missing her dearly. He hadn't heard from anyone in days for an update on her and he was beginning to worry that something bad happened again. As if in answer to his dilemma, his cell phone rang loudly, piercing the solitude of the room. Trembling slightly, he picked up the phone, noting the "unknown caller" ID._

 _"Hello?" Silence answered him though he could have sworn he heard a soft intake of breath. "Hello?" he repeated._

 _"Daddy?" replied a voice he had longed to hear. It was quiet, barely above a whisper but he knew the voice instantly._

 _"Oh, you have no idea how much I wanted to hear your voice, sweetheart," Carson finally said, a tear escaping his eye. "Are you okay?"_

 _"Yes, Dad," Nancy replied through sniffles. "I'm fine now."_

 _"When did you wake up?"_

 _"Two days ago," she answered and sighed. "I had to give myself a chance to take everything in before I called. It's all so overwhelming."_

 _"Yes, I imagine it would be. Frank told me about…you know."_

 _"Are you mad?"_

 _"Now, why would I be mad? As long as you are alive and happy, I don't care. Actually, I'm looking forward to being a grandfather. Maybe I'll finally retire so I can spend more time with you."_

 _"Yeah, right, Dad," Nancy laughed, his heart quickening at the sound. "You retire? This I've got to see! Besides, it wouldn't be just me anymore. It would be me, the baby, and Frank."_

 _"Well, honey, that all depends on him."_

 _"What do you mean?" her voice suddenly getting a pitch of worry in it._

 _"It depends on if he survives my wrath. Frank is going to have to go through some hoops just for him to get back within my good graces."_

 _"Dad!"_

 _"Oh, ok!" Carson laughed at his joke. "He's alright by my book already with taking care of you. It's just that it feels like yesterday, your mother and I were bringing you home from the hospital. Now, my baby is having her own! It's a lot to let sink in."_

 _"I know, Dad. Just don't be too hard on Frank. We've both been through so much."_

 _"You know I'm kidding right? Do you know when you're coming home?"_

 _"Not really. Frank is leaving on another assignment in a few days. He didn't tell me what it was though. I think he didn't want me to worry. I'm hoping that it's to finish this whole nightmare and he returns quickly."_

 _"Well, don't you worry about him. Frank is capable of taking care of himself. You just get better and make sure you do the same. I don't want you worrying so much about him that you go into early labor."_

 _"I won't, Dad," Nancy giggled. "I have Amelia here to entertain me. I have to go though, Dad. The doctor is here but I will call you again soon. Give Hannah my love."_

 _"I will and I look forward to hearing from you soon, sweetheart. I love you."_

 _"I love you too, Daddy."_

The last thing she said to him that day still lingered in Carson's mind as he finished his snack. His life seemed to be getting better with the knowledge that the whole thing was almost over but he knew he was starting to slow down a little. Maybe retirement was what he needed. Since Hannah was out shopping, Carson took his plate to the sink and began rinsing it before placing it into the dishwasher. The thoughts of Nancy and his future grandchild being alive and well circulated his brain as he settled into bed that night. Soon he was falling asleep, the smile never once dissipating.

* * *

"How long do you think they're going to be gone for?" Nancy asked, rubbing her belly absentmindedly. She was walking in the outdoor gardens of the compound with Amelia. The older woman was soon becoming a good friend and confidant in a sea of unknown faces.

"I don't even think Mason knows for sure," Amelia replied, stopping at a bench to rest. Nancy sighed and slowly lowered herself to the bench beside her.

It had been over a month since Frank left with Drew and James to go on their mission. As far as she knew, everything was going according to plan but she still didn't know all the details. Even Kyla, who is monitoring everything from the base, wouldn't tell her anything about the mission. They were all worried that any knowledge would upset Nancy though she knew she could probably handle it better than they think. Even through being stuck in the dark about the mission, Nancy smiled as she remembered the last time she spent with Frank before he left…

 _"I'm so glad the doctor finally let you go, Nan," Frank said, holding her hand as they walked the hall. They were headed toward her new quarters, close by where the infirmary was located. Although she had free reign of the compound, Nancy was not allowed to leave the area for fear of her safety outside the fences._

 _"I am too," she said quietly. "I just wish you didn't have to go so soon."_

 _The couple closed the door to her new quarters and sat down on the plush couch, snuggling close. The two didn't want to let go of one another since it was the first time they were "alone" in months. Frank tenderly kissed her forehead as Nancy smiled softly into his shoulder._

 _"I know," he replied sadly, "but Mason wants this taken care of before I have to be back for you and the baby. Will you be okay while I'm gone?"_

 _"Oh, yeah, sure," Nancy pouted a little. "I'll just stay here and be bored out of my skull while you're off having all the fun."_

 _"Don't worry, Nan," Frank looked down at her. He ran his fingers through her strawberry blonde hair. "I think you'll find something to do. Maybe Kyla will need help."_

 _"Maybe," Nancy replied though her mind wandered again._

 _"Something else is bothering you." It wasn't a question, more of an observation._

 _"What if you don't come back?" Nancy looked up into his brown, her own welling with tears. "I don't know if I could make it without you. What if you don't get back in time?"_

 _"A lot of 'What ifs' but I don't think you need to worry. James and Drew are just as capable as I am and we'll have a team with us too."_

 _"James and Drew, hard to believe that they'd been working for Mason all these months."_

 _"I know. Both of them seem to be enjoying themselves although I'm getting tired of everything. I miss a good mystery to solve not just chase the bad guys who are out to get us."_

 _"Me too!" Nancy perked up, sitting on her knees. Her bulging belly bounced with her as she excitedly jumped on her knees. "Maybe there's a mystery here I can solve while you're gone! That could cure my misery!"_

 _"Good luck with that," Frank chuckled. He missed seeing the twinkle in her eyes that now resonated with the prospect of a mystery. "I'm sure there are plenty of missing personal items you could help find."_

 _"You mock me, sir!" Nancy swatted his arm. "I'll have you know that I could have sworn I heard the nurses complaining about missing medical supplies. They've been gossiping about it for days!"_

 _"Okay! Okay! You win!" Frank relented after her barrage of playful hits. "Find out who is stealing the supplies. But first I'm going to solve the mystery of the thief who stole something me."_

 _"Oh? And what is that?"_

 _"My heart." Nancy squealed in delight as she saw Frank coming toward her, scrambling off the couch as quickly as her body would let her._

Nancy's last thoughts were of Frank catching her, planting a loving kiss on her lips as she heard her name being called.

"Nancy? Earth to Nancy?" Amelia was saying, trying to get the young woman's attention. Although there was a look of sheer joy on Nancy's face, Amelia was concerned she was becoming too distant to come back to reality.

"What? Oh. Sorry, Amelia," Nancy blinked several times though her smile was still there. "I was just…thinking."

"I know but it's time to go in for dinner," Amelia stated, rising from the bench. She held out her hand to help Nancy up.

"One of these days, you're going to need a backhoe to get me up," Nancy laughed as the two women went into the building.

"Oh, I'm sure Mason would be happy to provide one for you." The women continued laughing as they walked down the hall, the aromas of dinner from the cafeteria wafting around them. Neither one of them noticed the janitor nearby who had a keen interest in them.

* * *

Frank stared at the 4-story building in front of him. A group of men and women stood behind him, awaiting his orders. They hailed from both the Network and Mexican Police, although the latter was harder to find people who were not already corrupted. When they finally found the right building two weeks before, Frank, James, and Drew realized that they were going to need more help than just the Network people. There was more security than they anticipated as if someone knew they were coming.

Frank barely made out the "customers" that continually went in and out, disgusted with the thoughts of what went on within the walls of the building. He badly wanted to rush in there and get the women out of harm's way. Anyone who would take these girls from their homes and bring them to a pit like this only to be used as a piece of meat was despicable. There were people looking for these girls, waiting on baited breath for their safe return. Frank wanted to make sure that happened along with wiping out the last remnants of Powers' empire. This was just the last thing to do before it was all over. Or at least Frank hoped it was.

With the baby arriving in less than a month, he wanted to be with Nancy. He missed the tender moments they shared together plus being able to feel the baby kick beneath his hand. Frank knew she was safe for the moment but he was still worried about Powers finding out she was alive.

"Frank?" came a voice in his ear. He shook his head to get the more pleasant thoughts out of his mind and back to the depressing present. "I think now is a good time."

"Why do you think that, Drew?" Frank replied softly, looking back at the building.

"Just a hunch," the older man laughed. "Plus the fact that the outside guards are about to change shifts on this side of the building."

"I concur," replied James' voice. The three men were stationed at the different entry points to the building, watching and waiting for the right moment to strike. Frank was at the main entrance in front, while James was stationed at a less used side entrance, though it was still guarded. Drew was at the back where the delivery trucks came and went. Each man had a contingent of men and women to help with the raid.

"All right," Frank stated, watching the front door again. Several guards were talking, three of whom were preparing to leave. Perfect timing to get rid of more guards. "Go!"

As one, the three groups descended on the building, taking the guards by surprise. The men never got out a shout or shot as guns with silencers ripped through them. Frank stopped at the main double doors, peering inside through small glass windows. Giving a silent countdown to the men and women around him, he slowly opened the door to let them in to what looked like a scruffy looking lobby. An older woman sat at the desk, her eyes wide with fear as she watched Frank and his team enter the lobby. Motioning for her to move toward him, she rushed out the door, not looking back as the team moved to the right. James' team would be coming from the left.

It took a matter of minutes to secure the first floor, noticing the women were not around. The guards they came across were in their rooms, sleeping and never knowing what happened until it was too late. Thinking the women were on the upper floors, Frank ordered his team up the stairs, coming to a long hallway with doors. Crude sounds and music emanated through the doors as they began their search. Opening the first one, Frank noticed it was empty with just a bed, night stand and dresser. The lights were low in the room and the bed unmade. Unfortunately, the next rooms were not so empty. Most of the rooms they came upon had scantily-clad women in them who looked dazed and drugged as they lazily laid on their beds. Some had "clients" with them who were soon led to the hallway, handcuffed and ready to be processed.

The guards on the floor were easily taken out while some of the "clients" fought back as well. Two more floors were the same, ending with barely any guards on the top floor. Counting in his head, Frank became confused thinking there should be more girls. Several rooms were empty as if they had been occupied just a day or two before.

"All clear, Frank," James replied, walking up to him.

"Uh, Frank?" came Drew's voice over the com.

"What is it?"

"You better come down to the basement. We've cleared it of guards but there's something you need to see."

Frank ordered the teams from the Mexican Police to take the "clients" outside. The Network teams would help the girls and eventually take them to the airport to leave for the States. Frank and James headed downstairs, finding Drew waiting for them in the basement.

"I found a bunch of women in a room here," he explained as they walked to the first set of doors. "They look unharmed and don't seem to have any drugs in their systems."

Drew opened the door to reveal about fifty women and girls ranging in age, huddled in small groups. Their clothes were dirty as were their faces but their eyes looked to the three men in hope.

"My god," Frank whispered, shocked. He saw at least one girl who looked to be about twelve years old.

"Some of them just arrived not two days ago," Drew said quietly. "But this isn't what I wanted to show you."

Frank followed him down the hall, away from the room. James stayed behind to help with getting the girls upstairs. As Frank and Drew continued, bodies of guards and men littered throughout the hall as if a big battle ensued moments before. Drew soon came to a door and stopped.

"This is the worst thing I have ever seen, Frank," he said as he slowly opened the door. A stench so vile billowed out causing Frank to put his hand to his face. Even before Drew turned the lights on, Frank knew what the stench was: death and decay.

He gasped as the room illuminated, revealing a small room void of anything except about a dozen or so dead bodies. It explained the empty rooms Frank found upstairs but that wasn't what bothered him the most. Each girl had similar traits as if purposely chosen to be an example. He realized Powers knew he would be able to infiltrate the brothel and bring it down. The crime boss left a calling card just for Frank, for each girl had either red or strawberry-blonde hair. Blood riddled the floor, each body showing two bullet holes in the chest.

As Frank was about to leave the scene, unable to look at it anymore, a phone rang nearby. Looking around, he found a cell phone lying on top of one of the bodies. Carefully picking it up, Frank answered cautiously.

"Ah, Frank! How are you doing?" replied a voice that made Frank's blood boil over. "I see that you are admiring my gift."

"I wouldn't really call this a gift, Powers," Frank grumbled. He looked around, soon finding a red light in the corner of the room where a camera was perched. "What the hell is this?"

"Oh, just a little something that I thought you might enjoy. Tell me, How's Nancy doing? I'm sure she's getting ready to 'pop' wouldn't you say?" Powers laughed at his little joke as Frank stood fuming. "I have to admit, Frank, you got me good. I seriously thought Nathan killed her in London. That is until you popped back up on the grid when you took out my gun runners. It didn't take much to figure out where you were located. I placed a plant at the same facility that _I_ helped design, he took a few pictures and she suddenly was alive again. You should have been more careful about where you put Nancy. I thought you would have put her as far away from you as possible. _*sigh*_ I guess I'll just have to go visit her myself to keep her company."

"You stay away from her, you sick son-of-a-bitch!" yelled Frank. Powers laughed on the other line.

"Temper, temper, Hardy. Tsk tsk. You should really think about staying a little closer to her as she is about to have a baby. Take a wild guess as to what I'm staring at right now…No guess? Well, I must say, the base looks fantastic since the last time I saw it. All I have to do is walk right through the gates. Do you think she'll give me a hug? I hope so."

"When I get my hands on you…"

"Now, Frank," Powers interrupted, tsking again. "You know you're at least an hour and a half away by plane. If I'm right outside the gates, do you honestly think you'll make it before I get to her?"

Frank threw the cell phone across the room, Powers' laughter going with it. It smashed into a thousand pieces as it hit the wall, stopping the laughter abruptly.

"We need to get back to El Paso, NOW," Frank stated to Drew. James had appeared during the phone call and neither one of them said a word as Frank stormed past them. He pulled out his own cell phone and dialed a number he knew by heart.

"Mason?" Frank growled when the director answered. "We have a problem."


	38. Chapter 37

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Nancy waited in the checkup room for Dr. Jones to see her. She didn't know what was taking so long for him to get there but she figured he was just busy. He was only one of two doctors currently stationed at the base. Nancy was there for one of her final checkups before the baby came and waited patiently for someone to arrive.

Hearing the door open after a knock, Nancy turned, expecting to see the smiling face of Dr. Jones. Her own smile waning just a little as an unfamiliar doctor strode in. She looked closely at him, seeing features on his face that she'd seen before though she couldn't quite place him. He gave a kind smile though Nancy noticed it didn't reach his eyes.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Whalen," the man held out his hand for her to take. "How are we feeling today?"

"I'm good," Nancy said cheerful, her guard lowering a little at the sound of his soothing voice. "Where's Dr. Jones?"

"Oh, he was called away unexpectedly," Dr. Whalen replied. "I was asked to come in while he's away."

He guided her down onto the table and checked her over. Nancy still felt slightly uncomfortable with the new face but she knew it was inevitable that a different doctor would see her.

"How is the little one today? Any noticeable changes?" Dr. Whalen helped her up and went to wash his hands after taking off his gloves.

"Oh, yeah. Baby feels a tiny bit lower than before. Kicking up a storm too and keeping me awake at night. Then again it's not the only reason why I've been having trouble sleeping."

"Oh?"

"I'm just worried about Frank, that's all. I haven't heard from him in days and I'm wondering if he's okay. I guess it's just nerves."

"Well, don't you fret, dearie," Whalen replied with a small smile. He patted her leg gently. "I'm sure he's fine and he'll be back in no time. In the meantime, would you like something to calm your nerves? I could prescribe something for you or maybe a small shot to help take the anxiety off."

"Um, I don't know," Nancy bit her lip, thinking. "Dr. Jones didn't usually give me anything for it. Just told me to drink some calming tea and get some rest."

"I could have the nurses whip you something up while you're getting dressed," Whalen suggested cheerfully. "It would just take a few minutes and you can be on your way."

"Oh, okay," Nancy replied though she was still leery about the doctor. He seemed adamant about giving her something but she soon chocked it up to her own anxiety about Frank and the baby.

"I'll be right back." He waved as he walked out, leaving her to get dressed.

A few minutes later, a knock came at the door again and Dr. Whalen came in with a steaming cup of tea in a nice mug. Handing it to Nancy, he seemed a bit smug as she took a sip. It was only for a split second but Nancy saw it. When she looked once more at the doctor, his face was a mask of serenity which made her think what she saw was just a trick of the light.

"Now, go back to your quarters and get some rest," he smiled, gently pushing her toward the door. "You're going to need your energy for when that baby comes."

"Thank you," Nancy replied. As she walked away, she finished off the tea before leaving the infirmary and placed the mug on the counter. She turned to look back at the doctor only to find the hallway empty as if the man vanished into thin air.

What she didn't know was that the doctor stood in the shadows, watching her every move. Nancy walked back to her quarters, feeling a little better. The tea helped in a way but she still had a nagging feeling that something was wrong. Settling down onto her bed, Nancy fell into a restless sleep. It wasn't until she felt a sharp pain in her belly and the sound of pounding on her door a couple of hours later that her suspicions came true.

* * *

"Are you sure?" Mason asked into the phone. A frantic sounding Frank yelled back, into his ear.

"He left a 'message' in the form of a dozen dead girls who look exactly like Nancy! Is that sure enough for you?"

"Okay! Okay! Calm down, Frank!" cried Mason. "Nothing has happened here yet but I will go find Nancy and get her off the base anyway."

"How? Powers said he was at the main gate."

"Well, there's a helicopter still on the tarmac plus the fact that we added a second gate about a year ago." Mason walked toward the infirmary. "If I can't get her out on the helicopter, then that's the way I'll go. Powers won't know about it especially since it was designed _after_ he already left."

Just then the building was rocked by a loud explosion that knocked Mason to the ground. The lights flickered momentarily but remained on. The people around him stared at one another as if in shock before chaos erupted.

"What the hell was that?" yelled Frank.

"I don't know," Mason replied. An armed guard came rushing up to him and helped him up off the ground. "Hold on, Frank."

"Sir! The helicopter just exploded on the tarmac!" cried the guard. Terror and confusion continued around the two men as he looked toward the infirmary. Mason was momentarily stunned at the news before ordering the guard to protect the area as best he could.

"Did you hear that, Frank? You need to get back here now!" Mason yelled into the phone seconds later. "I'll get her out, don't worry!"

Before Frank could say anything more, Mason ended the call and rushed off to find Nancy. He knew she had an appointment with Dr. Jones but wasn't entirely sure as to when. He just entered the infirmary when a nurse came up to him, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Director Wallace!" she cried over the chaos. "Thank god you are here! It's Dr. Jones! He's dead!"

"W..what?" Mason's face went pale. He had to find Nancy and get her off the base before it was too late. "Have you seen Nancy Drew?"

"She left two hours ago, sir. I assume she's back in her quarters. What do you want me to do about Dr. Jones? He was in charge of the infirmary!"

"Don't worry about him now. There's nothing we can do. Just take charge and get as many people as you can out of here! There's no telling what may happen in the next few minutes! Now, GO!"

The nurse ran off as Mason went back the way he came in search of Nancy. Just as he arrived at her door, Mason heard multiple gunshots ringing through the building. Terrified screams echoed through the halls as a woman rushed up to Mason. He pounded on the door when he realized it was Amelia.

"What's going on, Mason?" asked Amelia, sheer terror etched on her face. The alarms finally blared throughout the building, blocking out Mason's reply.

"We have a breach!" he yelled over the din. Nancy pulled open the door, a worried look on her face.

"Mason?"

"Nancy, we have to go. Right now," he said as calmly as he could. Grabbing a hold of her arm, Mason guided her down the hall as quickly as he could. "Do you have a bag packed for emergencies?"

"Always, but what's going on?" Nancy watched as Mason ordered Amelia to grab the bag from Nancy's room. He lead her down the hall, away from the mayhem erupting. He stopped several men and ordered them to follow him and Nancy just as Amelia rushed up with two of the young woman's bags.

"Mason, tell me what's going on!" Nancy cried. She didn't have to wait for an when she turned around just in time to see several large men burst through the doors near her quarters. Her eyes went wide in fear when she realized who one of the men was. He stared straight at her, a smirk rippled across his handsome features. Another man stood next to him whom she recognized as well, her fear doubling. Nancy looked away, stopping as she doubled over as pain ripped through her body.

 _No, no, NO!_ she internally cried. _Not now!_ She gasped in pain as Mason helped her up, continuing to drive her away from their pursuers.

"What's wrong?" Mason asked, concerned. He looked back to see Powers and his men subdued momentarily by other agents, giving him a little relief. Mason then ordered two men to go secure a few vehicles as the group began slowing down once more. They turned a corner but all together stopped when Nancy cried out, nearly screaming and digging her nails into his shoulder.

"Oh…" Amelia began.

"…no." Mason finished. The two looked at one another frantically wondering what to do. There was no way they could stop what was about to happen.

Kyla soon rushed up behind them, a laptop bag slung over her shoulder. The director ordered her to help them get Nancy out the doors. As they burst outside, the dark SUVs screeched to halt in front of them. Mason barely closed the front passenger door when the SUV surged forward on squealing tires. He caught a glimpse of Powers rushing out the door just as the SUVs rounded a corner. His thoughts changed as another cry in pain came from Nancy in the backseat. Mason turned to see Amelia whispering calming words in the young woman's ear as Nancy's eyes squeezed tightly, trying to block out the pain.

"Is she..." he asked.

"Unfortunately, yes, Mason," Amelia confirmed.

"Who was that guy?" Nancy asked, breathing heavily. "The one with Powers?"

Mason was silent for a moment, thinking of who she was asking about. His eyes went wide in recognition when he remembered.

"Jonas…"

"Who?"

"Jonas Whalen. He disappeared soon after Powers left the Network five years ago." Nancy's face paled even more but not from the pain. "What? What happened?"

"A Dr. Whalen was who I saw today," she said quietly.

"Did he give you anything during your checkup?" asked Amelia, worried.

"Just a cup of tea." Nancy paused again as pain shot through her. "He said it would help...calm my nerves."

Mason looked to Amelia who bit her lip nervously. Kyla continued to comfort Nancy as another contraction came along.

"Sir?" asked the driver. They just left the emergency gate and were driving down a back road, away from the compound. The first bump jostled Nancy to the point where she screamed in pain again.

"Sir?!"

"Be careful!" yelled Mason, looking back at the driver.

"Where am I driving to, though?" the driver asked nervously. His hands were firmly gripped to the steering wheel, the whites of his knuckles showing through. He didn't dare take his eyes off the road for fear of what his boss would say.

"Find the main road," Mason said, "then get us to a hospital."

"Um, Mason?" Amelia piped up, laying her hand on his shoulder though her attention was geared towards Nancy next to her. "I don't think we're going to make it to a hospital."

"Why's that?" He whirled around to face the three women in the backseat.

"Because…" Nancy screeched through heavy breaths. She screamed louder than before, grabbing onto the front seats for support. Once the contraction subsided, she laboriously spoke again. "My…my water just broke."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I know, I'm awful for leaving it here. I had planned to put a longer chapter together but realized it would be WAY too long. So the second part of this is in the next chapter. I am going to try to get it out to you by Sunday but I make no promises! I hope you enjoyed this one and don't forget to review! I love hearing what you think about each chapter! Thank you to max2013 for keeping up with the reviews for me!**


	39. Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty-Eight

"How long till we're in El Paso?" Frank asked the pilot for what seemed the thousandth time. He spoke through the helicopter's com system. They were lucky to have procured the chopper but he wasn't sure as to how long it would really take to get to the base.

"About thirty minutes, sir! We just got word from the base though. We can't land there! There was a lockdown after a series of explosions and gunfire!"

"Damn it!" cried Frank, punching the seat beside him. Drew and James sat across from him, thankful that they weren't in the way.

"We'll get there, Frank," James replied cautiously. "Nancy's going to be fine. Mason will get her out before…"

"We've got an incoming call!" interrupted the pilot. "It's Director Wallace! He wants to speak with you, Mr. Hardy!"

"Mason!" cried Frank once the call was transferred to only his headset.

"Where are you, Hardy?"

"We're a little less than thirty minutes out. We need to know where you're at though in order to land!"

"I'll have Kyla send you our GPS coordinates to the pilot. We're still on the move but we are going to have to stop somewhere soon. I would say we're about ten miles away south of the base as of right now." Before Mason could say anything more, a loud cry ripped into the earphones.

"What the hell is going on, Mason?" yelled Frank.

"Well…" Mason said carefully almost as if trying to find the right words. Frank could hear Amelia's soothing voice in the background though the words were indiscernible. The younger man heard a small struggle for the phone. Seconds later, a breathless but familiar voice replaced Mason's.

"You…had better…tell me…you're…on your way!" Nancy replied through gritted teeth.

"Nancy?"

"Yes, who do you think it wa…" Nancy screamed loudly causing Frank to pull his headset away for a moment.

"Just breathe, Nan…"

"Don't you dare tell me to breathe, Frank Hardy! Just get your ass here! You put me in this mess!"

"I know and I'll be there soon," he said quickly and calmly as he could. "I promise!"

"You had better be!" She cried out once more and Mason took the phone back.

"I think we may have found a place," he said. "Follow the GPS signal and we'll see you soon."

Just as Mason was ending the call, Frank could hear Nancy cry out again. His heart broke at the thought that he wasn't there to comfort her.

"Did you get the GPS signal?" he asked the pilot, leaning forward again.

"Yes, sir. We'll be there in fifteen minutes! It's actually closer than the base."

"Everything all right?" asked James though he knew from the lost look Frank had in his eyes. He knew it had something to do with Nancy and the older man was worried that she was in a lot more trouble than they bargained for. The younger man rubbed his hands across his face and leaned on his knees. When Frank didn't respond, James and Drew looked at one another and didn't push him any further as they headed toward their destination.

* * *

"How the hell were they able to get away like that?" William Powers looked at Jonas Whalen sitting next to him. They were pursuing the SUVs carrying Mason, Nancy, and the others but lost track of the vehicles before they were able to catch up. The compound behind them burned though survivors were left to fend for themselves. Powers was furious when they closed in on the area where Nancy was at only to watch her be whisked away by none other than Mason Wallace. "I thought you took care of that?"

"I did, Will!" cried Jonas. "I slipped some pitocin in her tea. It should have been enough to keep them at bay before we got there! How was I to know it was going to take a few hours for it to kick in?"

"Whatever, Jonas! I have had enough of excuses from those who are supposed to know better than to fail me! This is why I didn't bring the two incompetents who were supposed to take care of her in London!"

"We will find them, sir," Jonas replied solemnly, lowering his head in defeat. "They can't have gotten far if she was going into labor when they escaped. The base is partially in ruins and the nearest hospital a good thirty to forty miles away, it will only be a matter of time before we catch up."

"For your sake, I hope that is true."

"Mr. Powers?" the driver interrupted. "I'm not sure which way we should go."

The SUV they were in rested at the end of the dirt road leading away from the base. There were two possibilities to choose from, each one going in the opposite direction on a paved road. Trees were sporadic as were farm houses. Mason's group could have gone either direction and Powers was about to tell the driver to turn when he heard a distant sound rippling through the air. He leaned his head out the window just as a helicopter came into view just south of them. Powers smiled, having a feeling as to who was on it and ordered the driver to head in the direction the helicopter was going. The crime boss leaned back in his seat, smirking. The vehicle lurched forward, tailing the helicopter for another fifteen miles until it descended onto a farm tucked away from the main road. Although their vehicles would be seen approaching, Powers didn't care. He was pleased that he was finally going to corner them, killing two birds with one stone.

* * *

Once they were on the paved road, the bumps became few and far between giving relief to Nancy. Amelia and Kyla did their best to keep her calm as each contraction came but they were intensifying and coming more quickly.

"If we can't find some place to get help," Mason piped up, "would you be able to deliver this baby, Amelia?"

"Seriously?" Amelia turned to look at him incredulously. "Damn it, Mason! I'm a psychologist not a damned physician! I don't know nothing about birthing no babies!"

Kyla snickered while even Nancy grinned a little through the pain.

"Man, Amelia!" Kyla laughed. "You're McCoy and Prissy all rolled into one!"

"Who?" the older two cried in unison.

"Geez, don't you two watch movies?" Kyla was trying to lighten the mood but realized she was failing miserably when both Mason and Amelia gave her hard looks.

"Oh my god! She's talking about… _Star Trek_ and… _Gone with the Wind_! You two need...to get out more!" Nancy cried through gritted teeth. The others turned to look at her in shock that she even knew what Kyla was talking about. "What? I know my…ow…movies. I may be busy…but I don't live in a barn…although this baby might be…born in one…ahhh!"

Mason quickly got out his phone and dialed a number. He was soon speaking with Frank before Nancy took the phone away to scream at him for not being there. The driver got the director's attention, pointing to a mailbox they just passed. Once Mason was able to get the phone away from Nancy, he told Frank about the GPS coordinates and ordered Kyla to send them to the helicopter as quickly as she could. There was hope for them yet as the driver made a quick u-turn in the middle of the road, the second SUV following suit and turned down a long lane leading to a white farm house and barn. Quickly getting out of the vehicle, Mason noticed an elderly couple rush out to greet them.

"Can I help you?" replied the man.

"Are you a doctor?" Mason replied in a huff.

"Veterinarian…"

"Close enough. We have a medical emergency and we need help." Mason noticed the man go on edge a little and realized he was being too forward. He pulled out his badge and showed it to the skeptical man. "I'm Assistant Director Mason Wallace. We really need your help!"

"What is it?" the man asked, letting his guard down a bit after seeing the badge. His answer was a loud cry coming from the SUV's open door as Amelia helped Nancy down. The doctor's face paled slightly before he turned to his wife. "Martha, go get the downstairs guest room ready and some warm water and towels."

The woman nodded and rushed into the house as the doctor walked over to Nancy and Amelia, rolling up his sleeves. Noticing her trembling, he whisked Nancy up into his arms and ran into the house as quickly as he could. Amelia and Kyla followed behind as Mason ordered the drivers to hide the SUVs and the rest of the men posted on guard.

When Mason rushed into the room minutes later, the veterinarian was already examining Nancy while she sat on the bed. He was thorough, speaking to the scared woman in a calming voice.

"Thank you for helping, Dr…." Mason replied.

"Hershel…just call me Hershel. I'm retired so there's no need for any formalities."

"How is she doing?"

"Everything is going to be fine. The baby seems to be in position but this young lady still has a few more centimeters to go. She's at nine as far as I can tell and is in Transition." Hershel spoke in calming tones as his wife brought over the water and towels. He looked up at Nancy, gently rubbing her leg. "What's your name, dear?"

"N…Nancy," she sputtered out. Another scream of pain came out next. Amelia sat next to her, dabbing her forehead to help remove the sweat pouring down Nancy's face. The young woman sighed in relief when she heard the sound of a helicopter cutting through the air. "Frank…" she whispered before leaning her head on Amelia, exhausted.

* * *

The pilot set the helicopter down slowly and was barely shutting the machine off when Frank rushed out. Mason met up with him, Drew, and James as they ran towards the house from behind the barn.

"How is she?" Frank asked as Mason led the way.

"She's inside. Hershel, the owner of the farm, is attending to her along with Amelia and Kyla." Frank nodded and rushed into the house just as Drew saw something coming down the driveway.

"Hey, Mason?" he replied, stopping just before the porch. "Are you expecting reinforcements?"

"No. No one knows where we are."

"They do now," James replied grimly, pointing to two SUVs heading in their direction. There was only one person could be and it was not good.

"Get inside," Mason ordered. James and Drew began arguing but Mason held his hand up. "You two are the last line of defense. I'll have the men outside here defend to their last breath before I have that man anywhere near the house."

Reluctantly, the two men rushed inside to prepare while Mason began barking orders to those around him. He felt bad that the elderly couple inside were about to be in the middle of a messy gunfight. He was more worried though about Nancy having to deal with labor _and_ Powers arriving. The director just hoped him and his men were able to stop Powers before he was able to get inside the house. Pulling out his cell phone, Mason called the base only to find dead silence on the other when no one answered. Having no other choice, he called the local PD and issued a distress call to the dispatch. After getting off the phone with the chief, Mason sighed in defeat. Although the police were on their way, it would be another thirty minutes before they got there. About thirty minutes too late.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **This chapter turned out a lot shorter than I expected. I did drop a few things in here that are geeky traits of myself :) But I must say, I'm not a Trekkie though McCoy seems to be one of my favorites (especially Karl Urban's version). I'm more of _Star Wars_ fan with Han being a favorite. As for _GWTW_ , I'm a HUGE fan much to my husband's chagrin. He doesn't seem to like the classics! Kudos to anyone who can figure out the other reference in the chapter! And that one too, I am a big fan and watch religiously (can't wait for October! hint hint). Anyway, sorry to bring my geekiness to everyone but we all have our sides and I just wanted to show mine! Plus it brought a little bit of humor to a stressful situation. **

**If anyone didn't know this, pitocin is a labor inducing drug and can take anywhere from minutes to hours to kick in depending on the person. Also Transition is the last part of active labor so in the course of this story, Nancy is almost there! It seems like it went fast but Jonas gave her enough to push it forward so far it was inevitable. And notice I never mentioned what she was having! I guess you'll just have to wait and see what it is in the coming chapters!**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter and don't forget to review!**


	40. Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Just as Frank opened the door to the house, Kyla came rushing over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a fierce hug. She seemed excited and nervous at the same time once she pulled away.

"Good to see you, Frank," Kyla replied with a smile. "You made it just in time."

"Good to see you too, Kyla," he said quickly, heading through the front foyer. "Where's Nancy?"

She pointed down the hall just as a loud cry rang out. Frank rushed the rest of the way down the hall to a slightly open door and walked in slowly. What he found made his heart quicken with a bout of anxiousness. Just inside the door was the bed Nancy was propped up by not only pillows but Amelia as well. Sweat poured down her face, her strawberry-blonde hair pulled up into a messy bun with wisps of hair plastered to her rosy cheeks. Frank rushed over, taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips. Nancy looked at him, her eyes wracked with pain as another contraction rippled through her. An older gentleman watched them from the end of the bed but did not say anything.

"I've got it, Amelia," Frank said softly, pushing the older woman away and taking her place with Nancy. "Thanks."

Amelia squeezed his shoulder in response and looked toward the older couple standing nearby. Martha beckoned for Amelia to come over to the window she was staring out of. Her eyes went wide in fear as Martha asked her to help barricade the windows with furniture.

"Do you need any help?" Frank suddenly asked, watching the two women struggle.

"I need you here, young man," Hershel replied, stopping him from moving. "You must be Frank. Nancy needs you, so don't move."

Frank nodded his head and let the older man talk to Nancy in calming tones all the while watching with interest what was going on around him. He watched as Martha rushed to the door, locking it just as gunfire erupted outside.

"What's going on?" Nancy cried through gasps.

"Nothing you need to worry about, dear," replied Martha, patting her leg. She gave a serious look to Frank, who nodded in acknowledgment. What was going on outside was not something they wanted Nancy to get worked up about. He just wished he could be in two places at once.

"Should we move her to the floor, just in case?" Frank asked quickly to Hershel. The older man was still trying to comfort Nancy as he looked up at him with concern.

"I'm not sure we can," he said calmly. "The head is right there…"

"I understand but so is the window." Frank pointed behind Hershel, though the window was being covered up by a tall dresser.

"Oh, my God! Just move me, for Christ's sake!" screamed Nancy. She made a low grunt as she tried pushing, her eyes closed in concentration.

"You heard the lady!" Frank said. The two men waited until the contraction was over before picking her and slowly moving her down to the floor next to the bed and away from the door. It was a matter of seconds after they were repositioned that Nancy cried out once more.

Amelia and Martha were able to finally shift furniture in front of the two windows just as banging and shots rang from inside the house. The two rushed to the door, not knowing how they could barricade it since all the furniture was shifted about. Someone launched themselves at the door, trying to get in and Frank watched as the two women struggled to keep the door from being busted open. He pulled out his gun from a hidden holster and laid it on the bed, just in case.

More shouting came from the other side of the door, causing Frank's attention to be averted once more to the door and away from Nancy's cries. It wasn't until she squeezed his hand hard that he diverted back to Hershel who was staring at him.

"Are you ready?" the older man asked. "We both need your full attention here, Frank." He turned his soft, calm gaze to Nancy. "I need you to give me one good push, dear, and then it will be all over. Can you do that for me?"

Nodding quickly, she looked up at Frank to make sure he was ready. The sounds coming from beyond the room continued as she leaned forward, bracing herself for the pain. Her cries echoed over all other sounds as Hershel and Frank guiding her.

* * *

When they entered the house, Drew and James just caught a glimpse of Frank before he disappeared into a room down the hall. Kyla turned towards them as she heard the door close.

"What's going on?" she asked concerned.

"We have incoming," James replied, making sure the front door was closed and locked. Drew withdrew his gun from a holster and began checking to make sure it had ammunition.

"What are we going to do?" Kyla asked watching the two men as they prepared for an onslaught.

"Is there another door to the house?" James asked, ignoring her question. She nodded, pointing to the kitchen area towards the back of the house. He hurried back leaving Drew, who began looking out the windows and turning off the lights in the living room and foyer.

"What do you need me to do?" Kyla asked as James came up behind her.

"Stay close to that door," James replied, gesturing towards the room Frank disappeared into. "Do you have a gun?"

"No, I didn't have the chance to grab one before we left," Kyla answered, shaking her head. "Besides, I'm not that good with one. My weapon was always the computer."

"Okay," James sighed. "Then barricade yourself somewhere and don't come out until it's over."

Kyla nodded and hurried into the kitchen.

"You stay here, Drew," James ordered. Drew nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Guard the front door. If you need help, holler for me. I'll be at the back door. Make sure no one gets by you."

Both men briefly exchanged a "good luck" before James ran back to the kitchen. Gunshots and shouts soon erupted outside, the windows around the front room shattering from the onslaught of bullets. Drew sought refuge behind a couch he moved earlier. Although he was able to watch the front door, he was still protected. Within a matter of minutes from the start of the gunfight, a man knocked the front door down and stepped into the foyer, his features masked by the shadows around him. His gun arm was outstretched, roaming the foyer in search of prey. Thinking it was Powers, Drew pulled his own gun on the man, crying "Freeze!"

The two men traded bullets, both of whom seeking cover behind furniture nearby. Drew was aiming his gun at the man the same time he was aiming at him. When the chambers of each gun clicked empty, the unknown man threw himself at Drew, exploding into an all out brawl on the floor. Drew cried for help from James just as the other man was about to get the upper hand on him. James rushed into the room, discarding his gun and tackling the other man off of Drew. The three threw punches at one another until finally both Drew and James were able to knock out the other man. Hearing the sound of pounding, the two looked around the corner of the living room wall to see another man trying to break down the door to the room down the hall.

"I'll take care of this one!" Drew cried, pulling out zip-ties from his back pocket. James picked up his weapon, noticing the other man carried a gun himself. When the man spun around to face him, James was shocked to find none other than William Powers.

* * *

Powers walked around the barn, whistling softly with his hands in his pockets. His men were doing a good job in distracting the agents as he walked past the helicopter and two black SUVs. Strolling right up to the back door of the house, Powers had a feeling the kitchen on the other side of the door was being guarded by at least one person. Deciding not to enter the house through the back door, he noticed the cellar doors to his right. He smiled when they easily opened without a sound.

"Trusting fools," Powers snickered as he lowered himself into the dark cellar, closing the door behind him. Risking detection, he clicked on the light switch near his hand to get his bearings. To his luck, most of the windows were boarded up, delaying any light from being revealed to the outside. Seeing the stairs ahead of him, Powers slowly ascended the wooden steps, careful not to alert those above him.

Just as he reached the door, Powers heard the pounding of quick footsteps on the other side of the door. A skirmish ensued as he slowly opened the door revealing a hallway lined with doors. On one end lay the darkened kitchen while the other end, Powers witnessed three men fighting it out, one of whom he saw was his decoy, Jonas.

Smiling, he stepped out of the cellar and drew his gun from beneath his jacket. Although he didn't know where Frank and Nancy were, Powers soon heard a woman screaming in pain. It was coming from a door almost directly across from him. Checking to make sure the three men were still fighting, Powers twisted the doorknob only to find it locked. Cursing, he began pressing on the door to get in. When that didn't work, he started pounding on it, ramming his shoulder into the door and alerting not just those in the room but the two men finally subdued Jonas. Powers turned toward the front of the house to change shoulders when a voice cried out.

"Drop it!" Powers stopped momentarily to see one of the men aiming his gun at him. The other man was nowhere nearby but soon came around the corner, dragging Jonas with him. Powers smiled and continued ramming the door, not caring about the man with gun. The crime boss was confident that some of his men outside would barge in and take out the two agents inside.

"He said 'Drop it!'" replied another voice from the other side of Powers. The crime boss turned toward the sound to see Mason Wallace standing before him, his own gun aimed at Powers. A woman nervously stood behind him and Powers knew she had let the director in when the time was right.

"Well, well, well," Powers laughed. "If it isn't the great Mason Wallace."

The crime boss never let go of his gun and continued trying to open the bedroom door. In between his pounding, the others could hear Nancy crying out in pain. He stopped though, when he heard the tell-tale click of a bullet entering a chamber. The sound was so close, Powers dropped his gun with a loud clunk and turned toward Mason. He stared down the barrel of the gun Mason held, his smile faltering slightly.

"You can't shoot me, Mason," Powers said softly, the gun inches from his head. "I'm unarmed. What would Arthur Gray think?"

"He'd think it was justified with all the bullshit you put everyone through," Mason said through gritted teeth. "It's over, you son-of-a-bitch."

As Powers continued to glare at the director, James and Drew slowly approached them. The crime boss didn't say a word as he was taken into custody by James. Drew smiled briefly at Mason before following James and Powers out the front door. The director was right. It was over. To make the moment all the more meaningful, the now quiet house was suddenly interrupted by the innocent sound of a newborn baby crying.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I am truly sorry for not getting this out quickly. I had a bout of writer's block for this chapter, unsure of how I wanted to proceed with it. Plus the fact that it's football season (college ball is my jam), birthdays galore, a holiday to boot. Anyway, if you figured out what other reference I mentioned in the other chapter, great! If not, it was Hershel. The Walking Dead is one of my favorite shows to watch and Hershel was a stand out character for me! Plus, I've been catching up on the episodes again through Netflix. Anyway, I have the next chapter in motion so I plan on getting it published within the next two days. Oh, and there was a mistake I made in the last chapter but nothing big. It will be remedied shortly. Hope you enjoyed this one and don't forget to review! Have a great day everyone!**


	41. Chapter 40

**Author's Note:**

 **Well, the story is finally winding down. Our journey is almost complete. I hope that you have been enjoying it along the way. Please let me know what you think of this chapter! I love hearing what you have to say! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Forty

Joe sat on the couch in his parents' living room. Although he had his own house nearby, he was at theirs for a reason. Vanessa threw him out. Joe was driving her nuts with his melancholy plus the two had a fight over dinner. Not at dinner. About dinner. He had been moping and flipping channels on the TV that he wasn't paying attention to the lasagna he put into the oven. Vanessa came home from work to find smoke coming out of the stove.

Once the crisis was averted and the windows opened for air, she screamed at him for twenty minutes about how long it took her to make dinner before kicking him out. That was the day before but it wasn't what was still bothering him. Joe was worried about Frank and Nancy since he hadn't heard from either one of them in months. Not since their vacation in Florida months before. It had put him in such a funk that everyone around him didn't want him around them. Although his parents were worried too, they continued on with their own lives as if nothing happened. Joe also still carried around the ring box, which he was currently twirling in his hand. After hearing the news that he was going to be an uncle, Joe's thoughts of his own future came rushing in and he chickened out of proposing to Vanessa. As with Frank's conversation with their dad about how to keep a family safe, Joe immediately remembered all the danger he kept putting Vanessa through. How was he supposed to keep her safe as well when danger lurked around every corner? There wasn't a correct answer for it and he knew that.

Even though his parents were home that morning, both of them left their youngest son alone, confining themselves to the home office and kitchen. As Joe continued moping and pining over Vanessa, he almost didn't hear his cell phone going off next to him. Thinking it wasn't Vanessa calling to take him back, Joe glanced at the number displayed, not recognizing the number. He hit the reject button and returned to staring at the TV. Seconds later, the phone rang again, the same number displayed and the reject button pushed. The third time the phone rang, Joe grumbled in anger and finally answered the phone.

"Look, dude," he cried into the receiver. "Whatever you're hawking, I'm not interested."

"Now is that any way to answer the phone, little brother?" replied a familiar voice with a slight laugh. Joe was about to end the call when he sat up quickly, recognizing the voice.

"Frank?" Joe gulped.

"Yeah, who'd you think it was? Anthony Sullivan?" Frank laughed again. "At least, I don't think I'm 'hawking' anything."

"I just didn't think it was you. I mean, the caller ID says you're calling from…El Paso? As in Texas? What are you doing there?"

"We've been in Texas since right after Christmas. Well, at least I have. Nan came a few weeks later when they could move her. It's been a hectic few months so I haven't really been able to call till now."

"Well, how are you? How's Nancy?" Joe asked excitedly, his earlier funk dissolving quickly.

"We're good. Great, in fact." Frank got quiet for a moment which made Joe think his brother was holding something back. "How did it go with Vanessa? Did she say 'yes?'"

"Umm…" Joe stammered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Idiot." Joe could tell Frank was shaking his head. "Weren't you the one who told me to go after Nancy? And here you are, months after buying the damn ring and you _still_ haven't asked Vanessa."

"I'm getting there. A few things have come to my attention and I…needed to think them through before taking the plunge."

"Yeah, right, Joe. You're scared. It's the one thing that would hold you back."

"I am not scared. And like you should talk, big brother!" Joe was starting to get a little angry at the forcefulness of Frank. "I told you to go after Nancy because you had been fawning over her since we were teenagers. What I didn't tell you was to knock her up!"

"Hey, that was an accident!" Frank cried but lowered his voice when a tiny cry was heard. Joe didn't say anything as his brother continued. "Dad and I had a talk which I assume Mom knows as well by now since you know too. At least you don't have to have a chat with Carson when we get back. Now, that's scary. I sincerely hope that when we see you next, Vanessa will have that ring on her finger."

"And when, pre-tell oh wise one, is that going to be so I know when I need to do it by?"

"Don't be a smart ass, Joe. It's sooner than you think," Frank replied vaguely. "Turn to channel 87 on the living room TV in about five minutes. You may want to get Mom and Dad for this too."

"How did…" Joe said looking around as he got up to leave the room. Before he could say anything more though, another soft cry came from Frank's end of the line. He stopped just outside his dad's office. "Bro, what was that?"

Frank laughed softly.

"Nan's resting at the moment, so I thought I would hold on to the baby. She's not very happy right now though. She may be a bit hungry." Joe mouth dropped open at the revelation. "I'm going to give you a little bit of wisdom here, Joe, so listen up. You say you have some qualms about having Van in your life with all the danger we put ourselves through. She knows what you do and yet she is still with you through it all. The greatest feeling in the world though is not watching the good guys take down the bad ones. It happens all the time. Nothing is more important than the love of someone else. But it's also the once in a lifetime moment of holding your child in your arms for the first time knowing that they are depending on you to protect them from those bad people."

Joe was speechless. He didn't know what to say even when Fenton opened the door seconds later with a perplexed look on his face. A single tear rolled down his cheek at the thought of what Frank was telling him. His brother was right, as always. Laura saw Joe standing in the hallway and came out of the kitchen to see what was going on.

"Joe?" Frank asked. Joe could hear Nancy's voice in the background. "I have to get going but give Mom and Dad our love. And don't forget what I said. Van's worth it. I know from my own experience with Nancy."

Frank finished the call before Joe could say anything more. It took Fenton to shake him to get Joe to say something about who was on the phone. The younger Hardy stood silently before looking up at his parents, a huge grin etched on his face.

"Dad, I think it's over," was all Joe could say. Remembering what Frank told him about changing the channel, he grabbed a hold of his mom's hand and rushed into the living room. Joe changed the channel bringing up a news anchor who was on one half the screen while the other half showed an empty podium. Fenton followed closely and the three stood mesmerized by what was being said on the TV.

 _"We are waiting on news from the FBI about a possible operation conducted outside El Paso, Texas last night. The press conference is set to begin any time now though we are unsure as to the real nature of it. We have Dawson Willis at the press conference now, waiting to hear the news while Langston Downes is in the studio, ready for analysis...Oh, I think they're ready. Let's see what they have to say."_

Laura gasped, grabbing a hold of Fenton's hand as Mason Wallace stepped up to the podium. Several uniformed officers and a few neatly dressed agents stood behind him including one who Joe recognized as Drew, the man he met last year.

 _"Good morning and thank you for joining us here. I have a prepared statement and then I will answer your questions."_

Fenton was on the phone seconds after Mason stepped onto the screen. Joe could hear him talking, knowing Carson Drew was on the other end. Fenton got quiet as the press conference began.

 _"Last night, at approximately 8:45 pm Central Time, the FBI along with other agencies and local Police, conducted an operation that culminated in the apprehension of several wanted criminals. Although several agents and a few civilians were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, no one was killed in the operation. Our goal was to apprehend, not kill, and we were successful in many ways. A few of the men apprehended have been identified and are currently being transferred to a federal prison for processing. They will then wait there for their arraignment. Jonas Whalen, former FBI agent, wanted for selling secrets, impersonating federal agents, and assault. William Powers, also former FBI, wanted for terrorism, murder, assault, kidnapping, torture, selling drugs, selling guns, and human trafficking. Powers was the leader of a larger group of organized crime centralized in Europe that had been systematically dismantled by trained agents over the course of the past eight months. We cannot provide the names of those involved but we offer our sincere gratitude to them and their families for the hard work they'd done and the patience they provided during this long and arduous journey. Without them, we would not have been able to bring down one of the largest crime syndicates in the world and one of the most wanted men in America. Now, I will take your questions."_

Several hands of the press core went up as Fenton still held on to the phone with Carson. Laura was wringing her hands nervously but noticed Joe run out of the room quickly. He did not care about what was being said at the press conference anymore. All he cared about was Vanessa at that moment. He ran all the way to his house, knowing she'd be home. Not even taking the time to close the front door, Joe rushed up to Vanessa as she stood in the kitchen.

"Joe? What…what are you doing?" she asked when he wrapped his arms around her. He turned her to face him and kissed her passionately which she, in turn, kissed back. When they parted, Vanessa was speechless, unable to form a single word especially when Joe dropped down to one knee and pulled out the velvet box.

"I have been carrying this around for months, waiting to get the courage to ask you," Joe began breathlessly. "It took Frank to knock me back and realize how much I love you and want you in my life forever. Vanessa Bender, will you be my wife?"

Vanessa stood there looking at the beautiful, diamond ring and then to Joe. She knew weeks before that he had the ring after finding it accidentally but waited patiently for him to step out of his funk to ask her. The suddenness of his proposal took her by surprise but her shock melted away, turning into a large smile.

"Well, it's about time, you goofball!" she cried, plucking the ring out of the box and sliding it onto her finger.

"I take that as a yes?" Joe said, rising from the floor with a hopeful expression.

"Yes!" she said, tears flowing down her face. The two kissed once more, their silly argument from the day before forgotten. "I guess I should thank Frank the next time I see him."

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Joe cried, grabbing a hold of her hand and pulling her out of the house. The couple ran all the way back to his parents' house, unable to contain the joy he was experiencing at that moment.

* * *

Carson stood in disbelief as he heard his long-time friend say that William Powers was finally taken into custody. The TV was still on and he was still on the phone with Fenton though neither of them spoke. Hannah stood next to him, tears flowing down her cheeks. It was over and all they had to do was wait for when Nancy and Frank returned home. The press conference was still going with the reporters now asking questions. Carson was about to say something when someone asked a question about Nancy and Frank.

 _"Did the former fugitives Frank Hardy and Nancy Drew have anything to do with last night's operation?"_

 _"For one thing," Mason sighed, "those two were never fugitives. They were victims being accused of something they didn't commit by an overzealous, double agent who was relieved of duty months ago and has not been seen since. As for their interaction in this operation, they were not involved directly and I will leave it at that. I do ask you, the press, to not pursue them or their families in this matter. Their privacy is more important than their involvement. I trust you to honor that though I have a feeling you won't."_

Carson smiled. He knew why Mason said what he said.

"Did you hear from Nancy yet?" Fenton asked, interrupting Carson's thoughts.

"Uh, no. Not yet. Mason called me just before the press conference to let me know. Did you hear from Frank?"

"I think Joe did but he rushed out of the house just a minute ago so I'm not sure. I have a feeling though that there is something else he needed to tell us."

Carson was about to ask what Fenton was talking about when the house phone rang. Hannah answered it and looked excitedly at Carson, motioning him to come to her.

"Uh, I think I have to go, Fenton. I'll call you later." With that, he ended the call and rushed over to Hannah who was bouncing up and down with joy, tears still flowing. He took the phone from her and said "Hello."

"Hey, Daddy," Nancy replied over the phone. Carson's heart melted once more at the sound of his daughter's voice. She sounded tired but he didn't care. "Did you watch the news?"

"How could I not after Mason called? But I don't care about that. I care about you. How are you feeling?"

"I'm tired but relieved. Excited too but very nervous at the same time."

"Why are you so nervous, sweetheart?" Carson asked concerned. He sat down on the couch and muted the news that was regurgitating the press conference.

"Well, Dad, she's here." Carson's heart skipped a beat. He knew what Nancy meant. He smiled broadly, tears of joy rolling in droves down his cheeks.

"Daddy?" Nancy asked, concern echoing in her voice.

"I'm here, honey," he said quietly after clearing his voice. "So, it's a girl?"

"Yes, she's a beautiful, healthy baby girl. She's perfect and I…we can't wait for you to meet her."

"When will that be?"

Nancy sighed sadly. "We're not sure, Dad. I think we're going to wait until the story dies down a bit plus there are a few people who haven't been caught yet. Mason is doing his best to find them but he's not sure how long it will take."

"I understand," Carson replied sadly. "I may not be happy about it though. I just want you home but I'm glad to hear that you are safe. How's Frank handling everything?"

"Like a typical guy," Nancy laughed softly. "He said he was a little afraid of holding her but I think he's lying. He seems too proud when he holds her. While I was resting a little, he held her close while he talked to Joe."

"I thought you weren't due for a few weeks though?"

"You would notice that, Dad. That's a long story but being only three weeks early isn't that bad. Katey's doing fine with no issues."

"Katey? Her name is Katey?"

"Yeah," Nancy said sheepishly. "We named her after Mom." Carson felt such pride at hearing this. His late wife would have been overjoyed. "Katherine Amelia Hardy."


	42. Chapter 41

**Author's Note:**

 **I just wanted to thank all those who left a review for the last chapter! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed it! I had the baby's name in my head for weeks, knowing exactly what I wanted though the middle name was almost Laura. I know it seems like I'm stretching the story out but there's a few loose ends to tie up and it's taking longer than I anticipated! Enjoy and don't forget to review!**

* * *

Chapter Forty-One

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mason asked as he escorted Frank down the hall. The two men had arrived at an undisclosed location and were walking through the building towards a small room.

"Yes, I'm sure," Frank grumbled. His eyes watched all around them for anything out of the ordinary and stopped as Mason did outside the room.

"Does Nancy know you're here and what you have planned to do?"

"No and I would prefer it if you didn't tell her right away. I'll tell her when I get back to the hotel. With Katey here now, I didn't want Nancy to worry or to come with us. I want us to focus on our family once this is all over for good and the only way to do that is to confront it head on."

"Okay," Mason sighed. "You have no idea how much I disagree with this but you are right. It's necessary to get it off your chest. I'll be in the next room if you need me and please…don't do anything stupid."

Nodding in agreement, Frank watched as Mason unlocked the door to the brightly lit room. He strolled in, not saying a word as he heard the door click shut behind him. The room was sparsely furnished with only a table and a few chairs. Another door stood at the opposite end of the room. Although a large mirror stretched across the far wall, Frank's attention was drawn to the man sitting at the table with his hands handcuffed to the dull surface top.

"I was wondering when you were going to come see me," laughed William Powers. Gone were the man's nice suit and well tended hair. The person who sat before Frank seemed less intimidating than what he was before. "To what do I owe the honor of your presence, Hardy?"

"You can tell me where to find Nathan Graves and Anna Mitchell."

"I don't think I can do that," Powers snickered, raising his hands as high as they could go. "If I give up where they're at, what do I get in return?"

Frank took the seat across from the former crime boss and folded his hands in front of him. He studied the man as Powers smirked and stared Frank down.

"You get to live, how 'bout that?"

"Hmmm, as enticing as your 'threat' seems to be, I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request. Means 'no.' I know good and well that you're going to make sure I don't live long after Nathan and Anna are caught. Especially since you have a family now and you don't want to have to continue looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life. No matter where you go or what you do, you will always know that I will be right behind you waiting for the right moment to strike." Powers laughed at Frank who face turned a shade lighter at the revelation. "Mason has already tried this tactic, Hardy. I'm going to tell you exactly what I told him: I don't know where they are. They know their orders from me and are just biding their time till I walk out of here."

"What makes you so sure you're going to do that, Powers?"

"You and Mason may think that you are going to put me on Death Row for everything I 'supposedly' did in the past," Powers stated, leaning forward slightly. He stared directly at Frank as he continued. "But I have every confidence that I'll walk out of here a free man in a matter of weeks. It's called 'evidence' and it was conveniently destroyed every time you and your girlfriend walked into those buildings in Europe and Mexico. My lawyer is having a field day with the government as we speak. By the way, Frank, how is the lovely Ms. Drew? I hear congratulations are in order on the arrival of a little one. I take it becoming a father suddenly has brought some rather 'unpleasant' thoughts to your mind of what could possibly happen to either one of them if I got out of here."

Frank sat glaring at the man whose grin put him on edge. He seethed at the thought that the former crime boss could be so open with an obvious threat. Before thinking of any consequence, Frank pushed away from his chair, which clanged to the floor and slammed Powers' head to the table, holding him down.

"Don't you ever talk about or come near my family again, you slimy, piece of shit!" Frank yelled. Mason and two guards rushed in to subdue Frank who continued his rant. "If anything happens to my family, I'll be standing in that witness room of the prison to watch your sorry ass fry!"

"Frank! Let go of him!" Mason yelled as the two guards struggled with Frank. Finally, the younger man let go, running a hand through his hair, frustrated. Powers raised his head from the table slowly. Although blood rolled down his face, the former crime boss laughed a Tim Curry-esque laugh. He never took his eyes off Frank as the guards pulled him up from the table after shifting his handcuffs.

"Give my regards to Nancy!" Powers continued laughing. The two guards pulled him out of the room, his maniacal laugh still echoing in Frank's head.

"That was stupid, Frank," Mason grumbled, following Frank as he stormed out of the room and down the hall. "What did you learn from slamming him into the table that we already didn't know?"

"That he has something up his sleeve, Mason," Frank replied angrily.

"He's lying about the lawyer. Powers' lawyer quit yesterday when he found out he couldn't pay the retainer anymore since we froze the assets. He was playing you from the start and you let him!" Mason sighed. "As for Nathan and Anna, we haven't seen hide nor hair of those two in the weeks since Powers was captured. That doesn't mean that they aren't up to something."

"I know that, Mason!" Frank cried, whirling around to face the director. "I want this over! Nancy and I are tired of hiding! Our families are waiting for us and we want stability for Katey! It almost sounds like you want us to wait longer just to make sure everything's safe! We're ready to go home!"

"Frank, I understand all of that. I'm just asking for a little more time!" Mason pleaded. "I know that you and Nancy are tired but you said it yourself that Powers has something up his sleeve. We need to make sure that everything is safe before you go home. Please, for Katey's sake, we need to step back on this."

Frank glared at Mason before storming down the hall away from the director, without another word. Powers had gotten under his skin yet again and Frank had sinking feeling that it wasn't over just yet. He wanted nothing more than to go home but he also wanted to make sure Nancy and Katey were safe as well. The two men left the compound and began to drive back to where Frank was staying with Nancy. He sat thinking the whole time, the car quiet except for the occasional outburst of road rage from the driver. Frank thought about the last time he spoke with his parents just days before. He could tell that the longer he and Nancy stayed away, the more upset his parents were becoming. Nancy had expressed the same observation with her own father. Hers and Katey's safety were more important than anything but Frank wanted to move forward with their lives as a family just as much.

* * *

The hotel they were staying at was a good 150 miles from the compound. The trip out took longer than the return trip as they had to change direction every so often just in case they were being followed. They arrived just before dinner that night, exhausted from the trip. Frank walked quietly into their suite, not knowing if the baby was asleep. What he found took his breath away. Nancy was lounging on the king size bed, propped up on her elbow. She wore a yellow sundress, her hair pulled away from her face in a bun and her bare feet crossed at the ankles. Katey lay beside her, kicking excitedly, her innocent face staring up at Nancy as she gazed back lovingly.

Frank leaned on the wall, watching the scene in awe, his anger and frustration with Mason and Powers melting away. In the weeks since Katey was born, both Nancy and Frank fawned over their precious gift as first-time parents normally did. They were at her side all the time, ready to take care of her. Frank brought Nancy things if she needed anything while she nursed Katey plus changed diapers when necessary. They were a great team together and were quickly enjoying their life as parents but felt something was still missing. The joy of seeing their family's faces and the time spent with them kept egging at their hearts.

"Are you going to come in or stand there and watch?" Nancy replied, never looking up from the baby. When she finally looked over at Frank, she laughed at the surprised stare he gave her. "I saw you come in out of the corner of my eye. Besides, you're not as quiet as you think."

"I love it when you talk dirty," Frank laughed, walking over to the bed. He leaned down and kissed Katey on the forehead before turning his attention to Nancy. Frank gave her a long, sensuous kiss on her lips before they separated, leaving Nancy with a smile.

"I didn't know I was talking dirty," she muttered softly.

"Anything that comes out of your mouth is," Frank smiled. "You're too smart for me anyway."

"Where've you been?" Nancy asked, her tone getting serious though she still wore a smile. Frank watched Katey kicking, her blue eyes roaming the room but he didn't answer Nancy right away.

"I went to see him, Nan," he finally said. Frank stroked Katey's fine brown hair, keeping his eyes on the tiny baby.

"Why?"

"Because I needed to. I want this over. I want to go home."

"Then why don't we?" Frank looked up at Nancy, startled at her suggestion.

"What about Nathan and Anna? Powers said himself that…"

"Screw Powers," Nancy interrupted, slightly angry. She sat up and looked down at Katey then back at him. "I don't care if Nathan and Anna come out of the wood works. Let them come. We need to think about Katey, about us as a family."

"I am thinking of us!" Frank cried softly so as not to upset the baby. "I don't want anything to happen to either one of you. Lord, knows what I would do if anything happened. I can't go through it again!"

"Frank, I had to watch you for three weeks while you were hurt. It pained me just as much as it pained you when I was shot by Nathan." Nancy sighed as she stroked the scar below her collar bone. She then took Frank's face in her hands and gazed into his dark eyes. "I can't guarantee our safety and neither can you but we have families and friends who are waiting for us back home. They are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure we're safe. You know that. If Nathan and Anna show their faces, God help them when they cross the Hardys and Drews' paths. Let's just go home and be done with it!"

Frank sighed, staring into Nancy's bright blue eyes. She was determined, he could see it. And she was right.

"Okay. Let's go home."


	43. Chapter 42

Chapter Forty-Two

"I don't know how many times I have said that I don't agree with this," Mason replied, watching Frank pack a bag. "Just like when you wanted to go see Powers. This is a bad idea, Frank."

"And I've told you every time you say it, it's not up for discussion," Frank answered. "Nancy and I have talked about it and we agree that this is what is best for us. No one knows we're coming with the exception of Joe and Vanessa. Nancy said her and her father always hosted a big cookout Memorial Day weekend, inviting their closest friends, relatives, and neighbors. Joe confirmed it when I talked to him last and him, Vanessa, and my parents will be there along with half of River Heights."

"That's a lot of people," Mason said, concerned. "How can we make sure the event is secure if you don't let me?"

"Because we are _sur-pris-ing_ them," Frank stated, emphasizing the word. He stopped packing and looked over at Mason. "The moment Carson sees you or any of your men, he'll know we're right behind you. If you want to watch from a distance, that's fine by me. Just stay out of sight."

"Fine," Mason said, pointing his finger in Frank's face, "but don't be surprised if the party is crashed."

"We are well aware of that, Mason," the younger man said calmly. "We know what to expect if they do."

"All right," Mason replied, shaking his head and throwing his hands in the air. "I give in but don't count me out on this one! When do you leave?"

"We're driving in so we can take our time," Frank answered. "Probably not till a few days before the party. We have a few hotels that we are staying at along the way. Amelia is accompanying us and James and Drew are coming in a separate car. They're all excited to be going back to a 'normal' state especially Amelia. She's hoping to start back with her practice in helping people. James wants to reconcile with Carson and Drew is just joining us for the fun of it."

"Well, we'll go on ahead of you then and keep an eye out," Mason replied. He clapped his hand on Frank's shoulder. "Be careful and good luck. I'll see you there."

"Thanks. See you soon." Frank watched as the director left the suite before resuming his packing. Although they weren't leaving for several more days, he wanted to make sure they had everything before they left. The following weekend was Memorial Day and as it approached, Frank' nervousness increased. He knew he wanted to see his family but he was nervous about the whole thing, especially with Nathan and Anna still out there. It was a given that Joe was ecstatic to hear they were coming but Frank hoped his younger brother could keep it all in till they arrived.

* * *

"When will they get here?" Vanessa asked Joe quietly. She was cutting vegetables in the kitchen for the evening's festivities when her fiancé walked in from outside. It was just the two of them in the house as Laura and Hannah went outside to plan where all the food was going to go. Carson and Fenton were also outside helping with tables and chairs. Joe looked back out the French doors to make sure no one was coming in before answering.

"Around 7 is what Frank said," he replied in a hushed tone. "Carson is supposed to make a small speech, thanking everyone for coming so the guests will be distracted."

"Does anyone suspect?"

"I don't think so but I overheard Mom not too long ago that she thought she saw Mason Wallace in town yesterday." Joe shook his head in disbelief. "Frank told me that the Network was setting up shop nearby just in case we have any problems but I didn't think that Mason would be dumb enough to be seen."

"Has there been any word about the two they're looking for?"

"No." Joe shook his head again. "I'm keeping an eye out too. That Mitchell woman is a crazy bitch and there's no telling what either one of them are up to."

Their conversation was interrupted when Carson and Fenton entered the kitchen. They were discussing last minute preparations when Fenton motioned for Joe to come over. He gave Vanessa a peck on the cheek before joining the two older men. She continued cutting vegetables while thinking about where Nathan and Anna were. Vanessa was worried that the pair were going to crash the party once Frank and Nancy finally arrived. She just hoped that Mason and the Network will stop them before that happened.

* * *

A few hours later, the cookout was in full swing. More people continued to pour into the Drew's large backyard and food was cooking in the fire pit. Several children and young adults took advantage of the pool while adults lingered around the patio with their drinks. Seven was quickly approaching as Joe was standing anxiously near the driveway alongside the house. He convinced his dad and Carson to close off the driveway to allow overflow from the backyard. Once Carson started his speech, Joe was going to open up the driveway again to allow Frank and Nancy's car to park. Unfortunately for him, several guests took too much advantage of the driveway and shifted the party to cover the whole open area. Joe knew he was going to have a rough time convincing everyone to move into the backyard but he was ready for the challenge.

About ten minutes to the hour, he started to ask people to move toward the backyard for the speech. Sending Vanessa inside to assist Hannah, Joe finished the last of the people before coming across a large group standing near the edge of the driveway. He thought it was rather strange that the group was mostly compiled of men, none of whom had drinks in their hands and were not dressed for the occasion. Joe's guard went up immediately when he caught glimpse of a gun under one of the men's jackets but he soon found out he was too late to alert anyone. He felt the muzzle of a gun ram into the side of his back and heard a hoarse, but familiar, voice speak in his ear.

"Hello, Joe," replied Nathan. "Where's your brother?"

"Honestly, I don't know," Joe laughed nervously. "Maybe you should come back another time when he can kick your ass!"

"Oh, I think you do know," Nathan sneered. "I have a feeling he's on his way here, right now. Something about coming home for good, am I right?"

"I wouldn't know."

"Well, prove me wrong, little boy. Now, let's go visit the rest of the family and friends while we wait. I know that Mr. Powers will be very pleased to hear that everyone who put him away suffered even if they're not here at the moment."

Nathan motioned for his men to surround the backyard to make sure no one escaped. He pulled Joe around the corner by the scruff of his collar just as Carson finished his speech. Joe stood before Nathan, still feeling the gun at his back with an annoyed look on his face. Once the rest of Nathan's men became visible, screams erupted from several guests including Laura and Hannah. Vanessa was nowhere to be seen. Fenton place his hand and body in front of his wife protectively while glaring at the man who held his son at gunpoint.

"Oh, I'm so glad you all came together just for us!" cried Nathan once the screaming died down. "This is so wonderful and the pool looks amazing!"

"What is the meaning of this?" Carson cried, stepping forward. "Who the hell are you?"

"Where are my manners?" Nathan smirked. He shifted his gun so that everyone could see that he had it trained on Joe. Several men and women in the crowd stopped moving at this, including Chief McGinnis and Detective Norris. "My name is Nathan Graves and we are here to make sure that William Powers gets what he wants. Now, let's just sit back and wait for our guests of honor."

* * *

Frank and Nancy were just heading into River Heights when a message from Mason came in that made their blood boil over. Since the Network had been watching the Drew's house, they witnessed Nathan and his men go in with guns to crash the party.

"Damn it!" Frank cried, slamming his fist into the steering wheel. He looked over at Nancy who looked back in fear. "How in God's name did they find out?"

"We knew this could happen, Frank," Nancy said calmly though there was a quiver in her voice. "Just calm down and we'll deal with it."

Frank nodded grimly and punched a button on the dash screen to call James who drove the second SUV behind them with Drew. Amelia sat quietly in the backseat as Frank relayed Mason's message to the other vehicle.

"What do you want to do?" James asked. "Is Mason going in or not?"

"He has a handful of men but he's worried that if a gunfight breaks out, those at the party will be caught in the crossfire." Frank pulled the SUV over about two blocks from where Nancy's house was located. "We need to get there undetected."

"There is a way," Nancy finally replied, looking at Frank but speaking to everyone. "An alley runs along the back end of the property and Dad never put up a fence even though we have a pool. He had a landscaper put up hedge trees that ran along the alley for a little bit of privacy. It was how I was sometimes able to get in and out of the house without anyone knowing when I was a teenager. Came in handy, too. Although there are numerous openings in the hedges, there's a small opening near the garage that may give you better coverage. It could help even with the little bit of light that we have."

"Hear that, James?"

"I'm on it," James answered. "We'll meet you there. Are you going to tell Mason?"

"We'll let him know plus find out what he has planned." Frank watched as the other SUV pulled away and turn down a side street. "See you there."

Frank sent a message to Mason about the plan in which the director agreed. He told them that they would work it through to make sure no one got hurt who wasn't supposed to. Mason did send one last message before going silent though.

 _-Stay in the car with Nancy and Amelia, Frank. We will handle the front and let James and Drew take the alley. I've sent three men that way to help the out. You are no longer a part of the Network or this mission so stand down please!_

Nancy looked over at Frank who rolled his eyes. Neither one of them had any intention of following the order especially since Mason just made it clear they were no longer a part of the Network.

"Amelia, stay here with Katey," Nancy said looking back at the older woman who nodded in acknowledgment. The young mother got out of the car and opened the back passenger door. Katey was sleeping in her car seat, all nestled in and unaware of the dangers around her. Nancy leaned over and kissed her daughter's forehead.

"The car is bulletproof," Frank replied as he got out of the driver's seat. "You'll be safe as long as you keep the doors locked. Take the gun just in case though." He handed her a small 9mm handgun along with the keys to the SUV.

"We'll call you when it's over," Nancy stated before reluctantly closing the car door. She walked around the back to meet Frank who was arming himself. "What, no vests?"

"Like a lot of good that did the last time, Nan," Frank said sarcastically. "I only grabbed a few guns to keep. I couldn't part with my Desert Eagle along with a few others."

"Men and their toys," Nancy laughed, shaking her head. He tried giving her a gun as well but she pushed it away. "You know I don't want one."

"Please, Nan?" Frank pleaded, holding out the small gun. "Take something, at least."

She sighed and leaned over, grabbing something from the corner of the box and shoving it in the back, under the long shirt she wore. The elastic on the waistband of her leggings held the gun in place while the shirt hid it perfectly.

"Better?" she asked. "I'll take the house just in case. Mason didn't say anything about Anna."

"I know and that concerns me," Frank replied. "She could be anywhere so keep on your guard."

Nancy nodded as Frank shut the hatch on the SUV. They began walking toward the house, hearing the doors click into the locked position. The street was quiet as they slowly approached, with no one walking around. As they rounded the corner, Nancy held her breath at the sight of her home. It looked exactly the same as it did when they left a year and a half before. Lights were on in nearly every room, brightening up the darkening sky. Cars were lined up and down the street though no one was around. With it being almost 7:30, it was not quite dark yet though shadows grew along the trees in the late spring. Just before they reached the property, shouts rang out from behind the house. Mason's men along with James and Drew apparently engaged Nathan and his men. Frank felt Nancy's hand on his arm as she stopped him.

"Be careful," she said softly. She stood on her toes to give him a tender kiss on the lips. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

The couple separated with Frank heading around the side of the driveway, sticking to the shadows and Nancy walking up the front steps and into the house.


	44. Chapter 43

Chapter Forty-Three

Fenton stood in front of his wife, taking in the scene around him. The guests were being pushed to the opposite side of the yard, across from where Nathan stood with Joe. The kids in the pool remained where they were, safe from the harm of the guns around them. Although the younger ones rushed out of the pool to be with their parents just moments after the first gun was pulled on the unknowing crowd. Fenton didn't know what to do, especially when Chief McGinnis and Detective Norris were relieved of their weapons by Nathan's men. No one said anything, the happiness of the party now gone. He wondered what Nathan meant when he said they were waiting for the "guests of honor." Looking over at Carson next to him, he saw the lawyer practically holding his breath with anxiety.

Catching slight movement in the trees beside the garage, Fenton kept his attention as best he could to the smirking man holding onto his youngest son. He didn't know if it was a trick of the light or if someone was really there but he didn't want Nathan's attention to be diverted to the area. Fenton soon felt the touch of another hand on his arm and looked to see Carson's eyes going wide as he looked at something behind him. Noticing that Nathan's attention was to several other hostages, Fenton took a chance, stealing a glance behind him. Mason Wallace looked at him from around the side of the house, placing his finger over his lips when their eyes met. Fenton gave a slight nod acknowledging what the director was trying to say and returned his attention to Nathan who was quietly saying something to Joe.

To his surprise, the assault on their captors was swift and undetected by Nathan since most of his men were standing behind the hostages and out of sight. Nathan's men went down quickly, not knowing what was happening until it was too late. Fenton caught sight once again of movement near the garage, his breath catching when he saw James taking a stance just out of sight of Nathan and Joe. His eyes darting around to see if anyone else he recognized came into sight but couldn't find the one person he was looking for. _Laura was right_ Fenton thought. _She did see Mason yesterday._ There would be only one reason as to why the assistant director was in town: Frank was nearby. _That is what Nathan was talking about! They were waiting for Frank and Nancy!_

"Get down!" cried Mason from behind the partygoers. As one, every person knelt on the ground revealing the line of Network agents including James and the man named Drew. Nathan was completely taken by surprise, seeing his men now either huddled on their knees or out cold on the ground. Never taking his handle on Joe away, Nathan's grip tightened around the gun he now held to the younger Hardy's temple. Mason yelled at the criminal. "Drop it, Nathan! Or we'll drop you!"

Fenton watched in horror as Nathan dragged Joe towards the driveway with the intention of escaping. The criminal sneered at Mason, his grip firmly on Joe.

"Just try it, Mason!" cried Nathan, inching his way to the corner of the house. "I'll splatter his brains all over! At least I'll take one Hardy down!"

Nathan stopped abruptly, his eyes going wide for an unknown reason. Fenton saw Mason hesitate then lower his weapon, the other Network agents doing the same. Joe laughed out loud though the gun was still aimed at him.

"What are you doing, Mason?" cried Fenton. Then he noticed what had stopped Nathan at the corner of the house. Protruding out of the corner of the house was someone holding a very large gun aimed directly at Nathan.

* * *

Nancy slowly walked into her house, keeping her eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. She didn't pull out her gun, leaving it hidden beneath the folds of her shirt. Hearing movement nearby, Nancy tiptoed to the dining room, peering around the corner into the room. What she saw made her heart drop.

Anna Mitchell must have heard Nancy enter the house for the former lieutenant stood near the doorway to the kitchen, a smirk on her face. She was holding on to a young woman who looked about the same age as Nancy and had long blonde hair, a sick-looking knife pointed at her neck.

"Hello, Nancy," grinned Anna, her grip on the woman tightening. "Long time, no see, though I was really hoping for Frank this time. He's much more enticing than you."

"Sorry to disappoint you, Mitchell," Nancy replied, walking into the dining room and stopping feet from the two women. She never took her eyes off the frightened woman who had tears rolling down her cheeks. Nancy had never seen her before but had an idea as to who the blonde was. "What do you want?"

Nancy saw the blonde's eyes flicker to the right and she realized too late that another presence was in the room. Trying to whirl around to face the other person, Nancy stopped when she felt the muzzle of a gun pressing into her side.

"The same thing I want," someone replied into her ear. Anna snickered in front of them. Whoever was behind Nancy said one word: "Revenge."

* * *

Outside, Nathan stopped the moment he felt the gun at his neck. Although he could not see it, he knew that it was a rather large gun and the person holding it was pissed. Not moving his body or head, Nathan roved his eyes to the gunman and cursed.

"Just try anything and you'll have a new breathing hole out of both sides of your neck," replied a calm but angry voice. Joe laughed loud enough for everyone around the yard to hear. He could see Mason and all of the Network agents lowering their weapons.

"What are you doing, Mason?" cried Fenton, looking around at the agents lowering their weapons. Several other partygoers looked confused at the action though none of them saw the reason as to why Nathan stopped.

"You have no idea how much I want to pull this trigger," growled Frank, stepping out of the shadows and into sight of everyone. A collective gasp erupted from the crowd at the knowledge of who held the gun. Fenton held Laura back as she tried to move toward her sons.

"Go ahead, Hardy," Nathan replied with a sinister smile. Nathan's eyes narrowed but he never let go of his gun or Joe. His smile melted the moment he heard the cocking of the gun and the bullet entering the chamber.

"Do you know what happens when a 50 caliber bullet enters the body at close range, Nathan?" The criminal's eyes widened in fear, never leaving Frank's face, and acknowledging what was being said. He knew the outcome wouldn't be pretty nor would he survive. He also believed that Frank would do it despite those around him. Sighing, Nathan let go of Joe and raised his hands, his gun hanging by his index finger. Never lowering his weapon, Frank watched as Mason rushed over and handcuffed Nathan, the director keeping his eyes on the younger man. It wasn't until Joe said something that got Frank to lower his gun.

"Hey, can you, um, stop being the savior for one second? I think it's over." Joe joked badly. When Frank put his gun away, his face softened as he looked to his brother for the first time in months. As he was about to be led away, Nathan laughed loudly causing everyone to turn in his direction.

"I should have put a bullet in her head," Nathan spat. At that moment, Frank lost all feeling as to what he was doing. Mason and Drew quickly let go of Nathan seconds before Frank rounded a right hook directly into the man's nose. The criminal hit the ground hard, yowling in pain from landing on his handcuffed hands and the now broken nose he received. Joe held Frank back though it was not needed. Frank got what he wanted. The brothers watched Drew gather Nathan from the ground, the criminal grumbling about assault.

"Oh, you deserved it," Drew scoffed. "You got off easy on that one because I would have pulled the trigger."

The two men walked toward where the handcuffed men were sitting by the pool. The distant sounds of sirens could be heard approaching the house. The guests stood aimlessly around, not knowing what to do, awaiting the moment they could leave.

"What part of 'stay in the car' didn't you understand?" Mason replied gruffly, his arms folded in front of him. Frank laughed, flashing a dazzling smile.

"Oh, it's called 'You told us we were no longer a part of the Network so we didn't have to listen to your orders' type of thing."

"Who's we?" asked Joe.

"Do you really have to ask?" Frank laughed, looking at his clueless brother.

"Oh." Joe thought for a moment then brightened at the realization. "Oh!" He paused, laughing. "Man, it's good to see you!"

The brothers embraced, laughing as Frank heard his name being called. He looked up and saw his parents rushing toward them, his mother's eyes filled with tears of joy.

"It's about time you came home!" cried Laura, hitting her son on the arm. She then took him into a hug that, even for Frank, became a bone-crushing one.

"Laura, let the boy breathe!" laughed Fenton. As Laura let go of Frank, Fenton took hold of his son, grateful for his return. The family stood together until someone cleared their throat. Frank looked around to see Carson standing nearby with Hannah at his side. He held out his hand to the younger man, a small smile etched on his face.

"Good to see you again, Frank," Carson replied as they shook hands. His eyes darted around as if in search of something.

"She went inside the house," Frank replied as if reading Carson's mind. "Mason said there was no sign of Anna Mitchell so we split up. Nancy thought maybe she was hiding in the house somewhere to throw everyone off."

"The only people we saw enter the house," Mason piped up, "were two women and that was just a few minutes before Nathan arrived. They were carrying what looked like food so I didn't think anything of it."

"You didn't tell me that!" cried Frank, looking over at the director.

"Wait a minute!" cried Joe. "I sent Vanessa in there too! Has anyone seen her?"

Before the others could answer him, a scream ripped through the crowd behind them. Everyone's attention was drawn to a woman standing just outside the back door, her body stiff and convulsing slightly. Seconds later, she toppled over landing at the base of the deck.

* * *

Anna laughed again, Nancy looking confused as to who the woman behind her was.

"Allow me to introduce you to someone, Nancy," replied Anna. "Meet my older sister, Pauline."

Nancy still tried to figure out who the woman was but gave it up as she rammed her elbow into Pauline's stomach. The woman dropped her gun, doubling over just as the blonde girl stomped on Anna's foot. She wiggled herself free though the knife still nicked her throat as she scampered away. The blonde rushed over to the corner of the room, crouching to keep away from the others. Nancy kicked Pauline's gun across the floor and into the living room as Anna launched herself at her, knife in hand.

The two women struggled together, knocking things onto the floor and rolling around. Pauline finally recovered and rose from the floor still hunched over only to receive a high kick from Nancy. It landed squarely on Pauline's forehead, the woman grabbing her face in pain. Nancy punched Anna in the face and slammed the woman's hand several times to cause her to let go of the knife. Ignoring it as the knife clattered to the floor, Anna grabbed Nancy by the throat, tightening her hands in order to strangle her. Nancy wrapped her legs around Anna's arms, pushing the woman's body off hers.

Finally getting the better of the former cop, Nancy was able to get Anna off, allowing her to breathe once more. She stood up facing Anna and pulled out the gun she had stashed behind her, though it wasn't a normal gun. Anna's eyes went wide and looked around before bolting for the back patio where she thought Nathan had the upper hand. Nancy followed her, gun in hand, stopping in the kitchen to take aim at Anna's retreating back. Just as she pulled the trigger, Nancy was tackled from behind by Pauline. The two women watched that taser wires implanted themselves in Anna's backside just as she rushed outside. The woman convulsed for a few seconds before collapsing onto the deck. A scream was heard from outside though Nancy and Pauline ignored it.

The distraction from Anna gave Pauline just the right amount of time to get on top of Nancy and slammed the young woman's head onto the tiled floor of the kitchen. Slightly dazed, Nancy saw out of the corner of her eye, Pauline bring the discarded knife out, aiming it towards her face. Seconds later, loud crack reverberated around the room, the knife clattering harmlessly to the floor. Pauline slumped on top of Nancy, the blonde standing above her with a candlestick in her hand.

"Thanks," breathed Nancy. "I take it you're Vanessa."

"You're welcome," smiled Vanessa.

They looked up at the sound of several people rushing into the kitchen from outside. Frank led the way followed by Mason, Joe, and a few others, all stopping just inside the door at the sight before them.

"I can't leave you alone, can I?" Frank replied with a smirk. Nancy grinned back as he bent over to pull Pauline off her. He held out his hand to help her off the floor and wrapped his arms around her.

"You know me," she laughed. "Life of the party!"

"Vanessa!" cried Joe, rushing to his fiancée. He took in the small amount of blood dribbling down her chin from where the knife nicked her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she smiled slightly. Joe pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her forehead.

"Nancy!" replied Carson as he came into the kitchen. She turned toward him, her smile never faltering. Nancy rushed over to him, Carson holding her tight. "Oh, how I've missed you!"

"Me too, Daddy," she whispered into his ear. Nancy sniffed just a little at the realization that the nightmare was finally over and she was home.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **We are almost done! Woo hoo! I'm expecting two to three more chapters before the story officially ends. Have a few things to wrap up! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as it pretty much is the end of the action. The last few chapters are mostly fluff with some explanations to the burning questions some of you have. Anyway, don't forget to review! I loved hearing what you had to say about the last chapter! Have a great weekend everyone!**


	45. Chapter 44

Chapter Forty-Four

Amelia sat quietly in the car. Although she held Katey after the baby woke up crying from a dirty diaper, Amelia kept her eyes looking about for anything out of the ordinary around the car. Soon she heard the distant sounds of sirens approaching down the street from where Nancy and Frank disappeared to. Katey's eyes watched the bright lights as they passed and Amelia placed the infant back into her car seat gently.

"I think it's time for us to go," Amelia said cheerfully in a high pitched voice while she buckled the baby in. She gave the child a sweet smile getting a toothless grin in return. "What do you think? Let's go see Mommy and Daddy, huh?"

Amelia got out of the car and mounted the driver's seat, still checking around her for suspicious characters. When she finally pulled the SUV around the corner, police cruisers were everywhere with officers and guests of the party milling about on the front lawn of the Drew's residence. Amelia was about to pull into the side driveway of the house when a young officer stopped her.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," he replied after she rolled down the window. "You'll have to turn around. This area's closed."

"I'm sure you can make an exception, young man," Amelia said sweetly with a smile. "I'm with…"

"I'm sorry," he interrupted, getting irritated with the older woman. "With all due respect, it doesn't matter who you're with, you cannot get through!"

"What seems to be the problem?" replied an older, wiser voice nearby. Chief McGinnis stepped up to the young officer and then looked at Amelia in surprise. "Well, I'll be." After regaining his composure at seeing the doctor, he looked at the officer and spoke gruffly to him. "Let her through, Nelson. She's with the Drews."

The chief pushed the officer out of the way allowing Amelia to go through. By the time she was out of the SUV, McGinnis had walked up, a huge smile on his face.

"It's good to see you, Amelia!" he cried, wrapping his arms around the woman.

"It's good to be seen!" she replied. "I'm glad to be back though! Where are Nancy and Frank?"

"I think I saw Frank go inside with the rest of them," McGinnis replied, looking around. "I haven't seen Nancy yet but I assume that is where she is."

"OK. I'm just going to grab something from the car and head in."

"Wait." McGinnis stopped her as he saw the line of men being led down the driveway towards the front of the house. Nathan was up front, eyeing Amelia and the Chief while at the end came two women, both of whom looked a little peeved as they were escorted by. When the last agent walked by, Amelia stepped around the SUV and took Katey out of her car seat at the bewilderment of Chief McGinnis.

"See you later, Chief," Amelia waved. She then smiled at the man as she walked around the back of the house to rejoin the others.

* * *

"Were you aiming at all, Nan?" asked Joe as the group headed outside. Anna still lay on the ground though she was able to look at them as each one stepped over her.

"I _was_ aiming a bit higher," Nancy explained. "But that other woman tackled me and it went a little lower than expected."

"A little lower?" laughed Joe. "You shot her in the ass with a taser! I'm not complaining but damn, it sure is funny! She probably won't be able to sit for while, either! Huh, Mitchell?" He bent over, twisting his head towards the incapacitated woman on the patio and grinned mischievously.

"Yeah, it is kind of funny." Nancy glanced down as Joe moved out of the way for two agents who hauled the woman up from the ground. Nancy glared at the former lieutenant, who stared, annoyed, right back. "Now you know it feels!" Nancy cried. Still unable to move partially or even speak, Mitchell could only sneer back.

"What do you mean by that?" Carson asked concerned.

"Long story, Dad," Nancy replied vaguely. She looped her arm into the crook of his elbow and guided him away from the scene. "Nothing to worry about but let's just say that her and I are even."

Frank snickered a little behind them as the group watched the two agents half-drag, half-guide Mitchell towards where the other members of Nathan's group were huddled. A few moments later, two more agents stepped out of the kitchen with Pauline in between them, her eyes slightly glossed over.

"Well, if it isn't Agent Pauline Davis," replied Mason, his hands on his hips. The others swirled around at this, some of them gaping at the former FBI agent. "We've been looking for you for a long time. But why are you here?"

"That other woman said they were sisters," Vanessa replied quietly, pointing to where Mitchell was being processed.

"But what did we do to her?" Nancy asked, looking a bit confused. She gazed at Frank who shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. Nancy still couldn't place where she saw the woman before.

"She's the reason why you two were hunted," Fenton growled. The group watched as Pauline was escorted silently by them. "She plastered your pictures all over the news and said that you had a hand in James' 'escape' after he was caught in New York. That woman…"

Laura stopped him by placing her hand on his arm. Carson looked like he would spit nails if he could but didn't say anything.

"The so-called 'agent' turned me over to Nathan and killed all the agents with her that night," replied James as he walked up to them. "If it hadn't been for Frank and Joe, I wouldn't be here right now."

"Hey, I was there too, you know!" cried Drew, coming up behind him. He smacked James' back playfully. "If we hadn't done something that night, I don't think any of us would be here!"

"Did I miss something?" Nancy asked, looking around at the men as they talked.

"Don't worry, Nan," replied Frank. He gave her a squeeze and kissed her forehead. "That was the night on the ship, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," she said angrily, rolling her eyes. "How could I forget? It's too bad I couldn't do anything to Powers before he was caught. I would have loved to beat the living crap out of him for everything that happened."

"Hey," Joe said, light-heartedly. "At least you kicked some ass on those two over there." He stuck his thumb in the direction of the sisters. Vanessa cleared her throat. "Oh, yeah, with the help of Van too."

They all watched as the line of criminals were finally being escorted toward the front of the house to be taken away by the Network agents. None of the men or women in line fought back or complained as they left though their expressions said otherwise. Nathan looked as if he were trying to work out a plan to escape while Anna and Pauline glared at Nancy until they were no longer in view. The guests around them were dispersing, several of them stopping to say 'hello' to Nancy and Frank, excited to see the couple back.

Nancy quickly turned when someone called her name. She looked over to find Amelia walking towards them, Katey held tightly to her.

"Amelia!" cried Nancy as she went over to greet the older woman. She immediately took the baby in her arms and gave Amelia a quick hug. "I'm so sorry that we didn't call you. Is she okay?"

"No worries, dear," the older woman smiled. "This little one and I had some bonding time in the car, although the car may stink for a little while. She had quite a mess!"

"Oh, did you have a mess?" Nancy laughed as she looked lovingly at her daughter. She turned toward the others who had stopped their conversation at the sight of Amelia and Katey. "Let's go meet some people, shall we?"

As Nancy walked up to all of them, Laura and Hannah seemed to be bouncing on their feet, almost itching to get a hold of the baby. Carson and Fenton smiled proudly but waited just as eager to meet the new addition.

"Oh, my!" cried Laura as the mother and daughter came into the light on the patio. "What beautiful blue eyes she has!"

"She doesn't look a thing like you, Frank!" laughed Joe, patting his brother on the back. "I guess she got her looks from her mom!"

"I beg to differ, little brother," Frank smirked. Katey was wearing a small white bonnet that he took off revealing the brown hair beneath. "She may have Nancy's eyes, but she definitely gets the hair from me!"

The others laughed at Joe as he stared dumbfounded. They all gathered closer to take in the little one while she took in the attention well.

"I guess she's a good mix," replied Carson as he took Katey from Laura. He walked into the kitchen slowly with the others following behind.

Fenton stayed behind and looked at his older son. Frank stopped before reaching the kitchen door and turned toward his father, giving him a strange look. Not sure of what else to say, Fenton gave his son a hearty hug, taking Frank by surprise.

"Don't ever leave again, Frank," he said into his ear. Fenton looked over at Nancy, who stood just inside the door watching the others. "She's the one, isn't she?"

"Yeah, Dad," Frank sighed, looking at Nancy as well.

"You may have a child now, son," Fenton replied, placing his hand on his son's back, "but now the real test begins."

"I know. We've been discussing it for the past week or so since we decided to come home."

"I hope you do. It's going to be tough and I know that Carson has been wanting to speak with you for a while now." He paused at the look of horror Frank gave him. Fenton laughed. "Don't worry. I don't think he'll get out the shotgun just yet." The father and son laughed at the joke causing Nancy to turn in their direction. She gave them a curious look before Fenton walked up to her and gave her a hug. "How are you doing, sweetheart?"

"I'm good," she answered with a soft smile.

"No problems or complications?"

"Nope, I'm all good and healed now."

"Well, that's great to know." Fenton looked at the coupled and grinned. He entwined his arms into both Nancy's and Frank's, guiding them inside. "It's good to see you two together because you know what? It's about time."

* * *

 **Author's Note: I know, I know! I haven't updated in forever but I couldn't figure out how I wanted to finish the story. Unfortunately, it's not over yet. I wanted this one short just because of the ending as it is pretty much fluff. However, the next chapter will probably be the last one with maybe a small Epilogue attached at the end. I hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to review!**


	46. Chapter 45

**Author's Note:**

 **I'm back! I haven't abandoned you! I know it has been months since you've heard from me and I do apologize for the delay. I had this chapter written back in October but I absolutely hated it as it was. I had somewhat of an idea as to what I wanted but writer's block soon settled in and I couldn't continue. Then I got carpal tunnel in both wrists thanks to some massive swelling** **from my pregnancy so I couldn't even type or hold something for long periods of time. I wanted to get it done by Thanksgiving then it turned to Christmas so basically nothing got done since our baby decided she wanted to come Christmas Eve (nice Christmas present huh?). It wasn't until someone left a review with a suggestion that I realized what was missing in the chapter (thanks to that anonymous reviewer!). The past few weeks have been rough recovering from a c-section and having barely any sleep (late night feedings. yay) but thoughts and ideas have finally been rippling through my brain and feeling has started to come back into my hands so here I am! A new chapter that has been pored over and over to make sure its what I wanted. It is a little bit on the long side but t** **his is officially the final chapter with an Epilogue soon to follow (had that written back in October as well). Don't worry. The Epilogue will be along shortly since I was really happy with that one the moment I wrote it! Please review and let me know what you think of the chapter! Happy belated New Year** **everyone and thank you to those who have been reading and leaving reviews!**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Five

It was several hours later by the time the house was finally settled, its occupants relaxing in the den. The police had long been gone along with all of the guests from the cookout. The Network agents were just finishing up with Mason completing a few last minute orders outside. Laura held a sleeping Katey, not wanting to get up for fear of waking the infant while everyone spoke quietly about the events of the evening. Blessfully, some of the guests stuck around long enough to help clean up the food before leaving so nothing would go to waste.

"What I want to know," Joe said thoughtfully, sitting next to Vanessa on the loveseat, "was how Nathan knew you were coming. I didn't say anything to anyone, not even Mom and Dad."

"I was wondering that myself," Fenton replied with a laugh. "Not the whole thing with Nathan though. How were you able to keep that secret from even your mother when you can't keep anything to yourself, Joe?"

"Thanks, Dad," Joe said sarcastically. "I appreciate the vote of confidence from you. I can keep a secret better than you think!"

The group all laughed at the joke leaving Joe to sulk a little, folding his arms in front of him. Vanessa leaned over and patted his arm tenderly, whispering something in his ear that brightened his mood.

"Joe's right though," Frank replied, bringing the conversation back to Nathan. He sat on the arm of the winged-back chair Nancy was curled up on. She looked up at him thoughtfully. "How did Nathan find out?"

"I think I may be able to answer that." The group all turned toward the person who spoke. Mason stood at the entrance to the foyer, his hands in the pockets of his suit. "You're not going to like it though."

"Just spit it out, Mason," grumbled Frank. He stiffened from his perch but softened a little when Nancy placed her hand on his. The couple looked back at Mason to wait.

"After our last conversation, Frank," Mason began, "I thought about what you said. You wanted to be done with everything no matter what. I could see it in your face and it wasn't hard for me to decide what to do. I knew the risks involved but I wanted to draw them out just as much as you did to be able to end it. I had Kyla send some information out, showing your interest in coming home."

"You what?!" Although Frank was more apt to rushing after Mason in anger, it was Nancy who actually spoke, rising quickly from the chair. If Frank hadn't been right beside her to grab a hold, she would have been flying across the room at the director. The others in the room were speechless, watching the scene unfold before them. Mason was shocked at Nancy's sudden outburst and took a step back to protect himself just in case.

"I know," he replied, holding up his hands in jest. "I'm sorry! I had every intention to stop them before they crashed the party. I even had people positioned in with the guests and gave Chief McGinnis a heads up. It was all supposed to be done on the down side before you even arrived but it all went to crap when we didn't figure Nathan planning on coming in small groups toward the house. We didn't even know they were there until Joe happened upon them right before 7. They were all dressed like they were going to the cookout and we didn't think anything of it when we saw them arrive."

"You provided them the information then didn't even think about how they'd come in?" Fenton cried after a moment's silence. "You put us all in danger!"

"I wanted you all to be safe!" cried Mason. "I saw how it was affecting all of you! From Frank and Nancy to each one of you! You were all miserable and wanted to be together again! I wanted Frank and Nancy to come home without having to look over their shoulders every step of the way! It was unforgiveable to make them go through that with Katey to think about as well! Don't you think I feel bad about how everything went down?"

"Joe could have been killed!" Fenton yelled. "Hell, we all could have been!"

"Calm yourself, Fenton," Laura replied, pulling him back down to the couch with one hand. Katey woke up to the yelling though she kept quiet from the interruption of her sleep and looked innocently around the room. Laura began patting her when she noticed the baby was awake. "We are all safe and Nathan has been put away along with everyone who was with him. I'm sure that Mason had his reasons though, albeit dumb ones, for putting us all in danger."

"It was not my intention, believe me," Mason pleaded. He looked over at Frank and Nancy, both of whom remained silent after the earlier outburst. Nancy seemed to have calmed down with the help of Frank who held her hand tightly. The young man didn't look angry but looked almost as guilty as Mason felt.

"I would have done the same thing Mason did," he finally replied. "What's done is done. We can't dwell on it especially since no one was hurt. He's right. It's over."

They all sat staring at him but remained quiet. There was really nothing more that could be said.

"Nan, I want to know something," Joe blurted out, breaking the silence. "What was it you meant when you said it was payback on Anna?"

"Well, I was just repaying her for what she did in Paris last year," Nancy replied, angrily. "I hope it hurt too. She deserved it."

"Wait a minute..."

"Let's not dwell on the past, Joe," Laura interjected, giving him a look. Joe shut his mouth and the room plunged into silence again, the air permeating with thoughts of the past that no one really wanted to remember. All that mattered was that Nancy and Frank were home and their lives would soon be back to normal.

* * *

"Hey, Dad, you got a minute?" Nancy asked, poking her head into his office. Carson just stepped into the room to grab something when Nancy followed him in. He could still hear the sounds of conversation coming from the other room.

"Anything for you, sweetheart," he smiled nervously, gesturing for her to take a seat on the couch. As the father and daughter sat down together, Carson waited for Nancy to say something, looking worried as to what she wanted to talk about.

"Dad, is there something wrong?" she asked looking at him expectantly. Carson looked taken aback by the question, not knowing what she meant.

"No, why do you ask?"

"Well, you just seem a little down ever since Frank and I came back inside from talking to Mason. You seem almost...distant."

"Is there something I should be worried about, Nancy?" Carson looked over at her, seeing the same look he gave her moments before.

"I'm confused. What do you mean?"

"You said yourself that you and Frank were outside talking with Mason," Carson sighed. "It looked as if you were making a deal with him and I was worried that you two would be leaving again even though you just came home."

"Now, Dad, I know you don't jump to conclusions that quickly."

"So you're not leaving?"

"Why would we?" Nancy laughed at the thought. "We told Mason when we first made the deal about taking down Powers that once everything was over, we didn't want to have anything to do with the Network. Neither one of us would want to go back on that promise or do it to our families and you know that. Plus, who would take care of Katey? I wouldn't want her to be a part of that life but I also wouldn't leave her behind."

"What about the handshake and the look on Mason's face?" Carson asked, raising an eyebrow. "He looked pretty pleased with himself."

"Well, he did just take down Nathan and Anna after trying to find them for weeks. And don't think he didn't try to convince us to come back even though he said earlier that he knew we were ready come home. He was just smirking because we still turned him down flat after the offer the Network gave us."

"What offer?"

"You know," Nancy shrugged. "The kind that is supposed to entice prospects: benefits, paid-leave, free reign, 6-figure salary. We didn't need that stuff since we already had what we wanted."

"Well, I'm still not going to forgive him for putting you up to the original deal and definitely not after what he did tonight."

"Yeah, he's on my shit list too, Dad." Nancy laughed when she saw the look on her father's face and they both burst out laughing. "There is something I would like to know though. Are you okay with Frank?"

"Ah, yes, that." Carson looked down at the floor, thinking before looking back up at Nancy who looked a little worried. "I...as long as you are happy, sweetheart, it doesn't matter."

"It matters to me, Dad." She gave him a determined look and he knew that she would keep bugging him until she felt satisfied.

"You remind me too much of your mother," Carson laughed before sighing. "I see that he makes you happy and I am fine with it. Really. I'll just make sure I have the proverbial shot gun out when I talk to him."

"Dad, you don't own a shot gun," Nancy smirked. She playfully slapped her father on the arm. "And be nice to him! He's nervous enough as it is!"

"I will be," Carson smiled.

"You're such a teddy bear, Dad," Nancy replied, leaning over and hugging her father tightly.

"I know. Just don't tell Frank that." The two laughed and hugged once more. "Katey really is a cutey, Nancy. You seem smitten with her already."

"So are you and don't deny it." They laughed again before Nancy rose from the couch and sighed. "Speaking of which, I should get back to her before Laura steals her away and I never see her again."

"I thought Hannah would be the one to do that!" Carson followed her to the door, the pair leaving the office.

"Love you, Daddy," Nancy said softly with a smile.

"Love you too, sweetheart."

* * *

Shortly after 1 am, Frank sat outside on the back patio looking out at the quiet pool, the water lapping lazily in the warm breeze. Although Nancy and Katey had gone to bed an hour before, Frank could not seem to fall asleep, his mind reeling with the events of the day and what lay ahead for them all. He left Nancy's bedroom after watching her slumber peacefully, Katey sleeping in a nearby pack 'n play, her soft snores echoing in the room. Even though Powers was put away along with his cohorts, the reminder of the months of restlessness and of having to constantly look over their shoulders, Frank couldn't bring himself to sleep like the rest of the household. He did have some nights where he sleep came easily but that night seemed different. He almost lost his family and he never wanted it to happen again. It took him back to the night in London where he almost lost Nancy. He couldn't bear it if it happened again. After getting out of bed, Frank decided to make a cup of tea and sit out on the back patio to sort out his thoughts.

About 10 minutes after he sat down, the back door opened an the one person Frank was most nervous about stepped out. Carson looked down at him with a small smile and took the seat next to him at the table. The two men remained quiet as Frank took a sip of his tea and Carson looked around the dark yard.

"I'm not going to bite, you know," Carson replied, though he still did not look over at Frank. The younger man was nervous as he set the mug down onto the table and leaned forward, placing his elbows on the glass.

"Sorry, sir," Frank replied quietly. "I didn't want to bother anyone by sitting in the kitchen."

"Oh, you didn't bother me, Frank," Carson said with a smile. He finally looked over at Frank who met his gaze. "I was still in my office when I heard you go by. I sometimes have a tendency to sleep on my couch after long nights working. It's more comfortable than my bed."

"I just wanted some fresh air, that's all," Frank replied, staring down at the mug.

"At 1 in the morning? You must have a lot on your mind, son, if you're out here. Things can't be that bad."

"It's just the thought of everything happening and finally coming to an end. I..we were so used to having to sleep with one eye open that I guess I'm just not used to it." Frank sighed.

"That's horse shit." Frank looked over at Carson in shock. "You're one of the strongest young men I have ever met and you're afraid of a shadow? One that is no longer in the picture? Come now!"

"I don't know, sir."

"Quit calling me that!" cried Carson. "You make me sound like an old man! Besides, I told you to call me Carson."

"Sorry, s..Carson," Frank stammered.

"Don't be sorry. Be a man! If you're going to be with Nancy, you have to be a little bit stronger than that!" Carson laughed. "She said you were nervous but I didn't expect this! What are you afraid of?"

"Currently, I'm afraid of you."

"Good. Now we're getting somewhere. Want a beer?" Carson got up from the table and headed back inside the house without waiting for Frank's response. He returned with two open beer bottles and handed one to the younger man. "I feel this calls for something harder than a cup of tea."

Frank took the bottle and took a sip of the beer.

"Hit the spot, eh?" Carson smirked at him and set his bottle onto the table. "So, what else seems to be on your mind?"

"It's nothing."

"Hell it is!" Carson took another swig of his beer. "Tell me something. What was it that Nathan meant when he said 'he should have put a bullet in her head?'"

"Nathan was the one who shot Nancy in London," Frank said slowly after a long pause. The pair each took a sip from their bottles before either one of them said anything more.

"I should have known. You are much stronger than I would have been," Carson replied. "I wouldn't have just punched him. Nathan wouldn't be breathing right now if I had my hands on him."

"Wouldn't that make me weaker for not pulling the trigger before then?"

"Son, you're not a cold-blooded killer," Carson stated. "We all saw that when you shot your father."

"Please don't remind me of that."

"I'm just saying that it isn't you for killing someone just to do it. No one would have blamed you though if you did." The two sat in silence for a few moments before Carson continued. "Do you know what it tells me?"

Frank looked over and waited.

"That you love my daughter more than anything and you're willing to do whatever it takes to protect and those around you. No matter what your current fears are, you need to know that it is what makes someone stronger than anything to put his family above everything else."

"You're right."

"Now what are you going to do about it?" Carson rose from the table with a small smile, slapping his hand on Frank's shoulder. He walked back into the house, leaving Frank to think.

The young man sat there for another 10 minutes before realizing what Carson meant and smiled, shaking his head. Finishing off his beer, Frank returned to Nancy's room where she still slept, snuggled into bed. Before climbing into bed with her, he just stared at Nancy, a smile rippling across his face. He knew what he wanted, his new thoughts calming him down. As Frank finally laid his head on the pillow and closed his eyes, those new thoughts helped him to fall into the first restful sleep he had in over a year.


	47. Epilogue

Epilogue

 _Almost One Year Later_

Frank opened his eyes, a gentle breeze ruffling his hair. He looked to see the other half of the bed empty and the balcony doors open, the curtains blowing gently in the wind. The clock on the other side of the bed read 10:34 and Frank couldn't believe he slept so late. Getting out of bed, he went over to the dresser and pulled out a plain blue t-shirt. Frank stopped when he saw it lying at the bottom of the drawer. After pulling the shirt over his head, he took out the small box and opened it. He remembered the conversation he had with Carson Drew just a few days before, the item inside the small box the topic. Frank smiled, thinking of how his life had changed over the course of two years.

Laughter could be heard from outside, breaking his train of thought. He turned to see two people, one short, one tall, playing on the beach beyond. Walking to the balcony, he watched as his one-year-old daughter try unsuccessfully pack sand into a bucket. Nancy giggled as the bucket was dumped onto the pile of sand by Katey.

"Yay!" Nancy clapped, smiling. Katey clapped with her, gurgling loudly. Although they were at a distance from the house, Frank still could imagine their facial expressions.

His smiled broadened as he remembered the last time he stood at the window and watched Nancy from a distance. Nearly two years before, when he woke from the infection that nearly killed him Frank remembered the sadness he saw in Nancy's face then as compared to the happiness shown now. She had been by his side the whole time but after an argument with James, Nancy went out to the beach for time away from the others. As he watched her then, it was in that moment in which Frank truly fell in love with Nancy. Her beauty radiated even in her time of sadness and just as he felt then, Frank knew it was time to say something once more.

* * *

Nancy sat on the beach, watching Katey play in the sand. She smiled at her little girl, whose sunhat shifted into her eyes causing her head to angle up to see her mother. Suddenly, Nancy got the strange feeling they were being watched and looked about her in search of the stalker. Seeing no one, she looked back at the house, the second floor balcony doors still open though no one was there.

"Wonder when Daddy's going to wake up," Nancy replied, looking back at Katey. The two had woken up early and had breakfast together while Nancy let Frank sleep in. Although the nightmare of running from Powers for over a year was no longer an issue, Frank still continued to have trouble sleeping at times. Whenever she noticed he was sound asleep, Nancy left him to sleep as long as he could while she cared for Katey.

Nancy turned back to the house and sighed. Although they were happy, she still felt that something was missing. Their family was supportive of them, taking a step back to allow the three to get used to being home again. It helped at first but soon after Christmas, Nancy and Frank felt they needed to get away for a little while.

Within a week after Joe and Vanessa's wedding the month before, the threesome said their goodbyes and promised to be back by the Memorial Day Party. Their vacation was slowly coming to an end and Nancy felt more anxious to return home than ever before. She had something to tell Frank and this time, she wasn't going to hold back.

* * *

Frank walked out of the house toward Nancy and Katey. His girlfriend sat on the beach as if lost in her own world while the toddler continued playing in the sand. Katey's bright blue eyes lit up as she saw him and toddled her way toward him as best she could. Nancy saw the girl rush by and turned around to see Frank, her smile radiating as he approached her.

"Hey, Katey!" Frank stooped and scooped up the child, planting a loud kiss on her cheek. She giggled, trying to pull away. "Whatcha making?"

Katey answered him in a babble all her own and he took in as if he understood her completely.

"You don't say!" Frank laughed.

"Took you long enough!" Nancy smiled, her arms folded in front of her.

"Oh, you know me, Nan," Frank answered, walking toward her with Katey still in his arms. "I have to get my beauty sleep and make an entrance."

Nancy laughed and shook her head. She wrapped her arms around him and stood on her toes to give him a kiss on the lips.

"I have to tell you something."

"There's something I want to talk about."

They both spoke at the same time and laughed together, apparently thinking on the same wavelength.

"You first," they both replied together. The couple went into a fit of laughter once again, with Katey joining in though she had no clue why.

"Alright, I'll start," Frank decided.

"Why do you get to go first?" Nancy pouted and folded her arms again.

"Do you want to go then?"

"Na," she burst out laughing. "I was just giving you a hard time."

"Okay," Frank laughed. "Stay right there. I need to confer with Katey for a moment."

He walked away, leaving Nancy with a confused look on her face. Minutes later, Frank set Katey back down and urged her to go back to her mother. She noticed something clutched in Katey's hand and picked up the child the moment she was in arms reach.

"What have you got there?" Nancy asked, looking at the object in Katey's hand. As if in response to her mother's question, the tiny hand opened revealing a small velvet box. Nancy's jaw dropped slightly and looked back to Frank who was now standing before her, a small smile on his face. "When did you…"

"Let me speak, Nan." Frank took a deep breath before continuing. "I wanted to wait for the right moment but it never seemed right…until now. I was watching you and Katey from the balcony, remembering when I watched you two years ago. I knew then I needed to say something to you and I did….eventually. Just like then, I have something I have to say. Our lives have changed so much over the past two years and there's nothing more that I want than to spend the rest of my life with you, Nancy Drew. You and I complete each other. We are each other's 'other half.' So…"

"Stop." Nancy replied, placing her finger on his lips. "Just stop. You talk too much, Frank Hardy."

As she lowered her finger, Frank took her around the waist and kissed her passionately, knowing her answer already. Katey looked innocently at her parents, the box still clutched in her hand.

"I need an answer, Nan," Frank said softly as he pulled back.

"Do you really?" she giggled. "I thought you already figured it out."

"I guess I figured right, huh?" Frank laughed, leaning his forehead against hers. After taking the small velvet box from Katey, he opened it in front of Nancy revealing a ring studded in diamonds with one pink diamond in the middle. She looked at the ring speechless, her fingers running across the row of diamonds. As her hand shook, Frank slowly slid the ring onto her finger and kissed her once more. "Now, what is it you wanted to tell me?"

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Well, that's it, folks! I hope that you enjoyed the story! I had a lot of fun writing it and enjoyed all of your comments throughout the whole journey. Thanks to everyone who read the story and also to those who left reviews. I loved hearing what you had to say! Keep an eye out for me in the future! There may be a story coming soon! Til next time!**


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